There are strong indications that President Goodluck Jonathan may be forced to drop some ministerial nominees from Delta State owing to corruption allegations against them.
Sources from the Presidency hinted that President Jonathan, who is likely to forward another set of ministerial nominees to the Senate this week for confirmation is particularly disturbed over nominees from Delta State.
According to the source, none of the nominees from Delta State is fit to be a cabinet member of the Jonathan – led administration.
“Virtually all the three names made available so far has huge corruption allegations hanging over their heads”, the source told DailyPost.
This stance was also corroborated by the Delta Central Peoples Movement, (DCPM), in a petition against one of the nominees- Chief Ighoyota Amori, who was alleged to have looted the state alongside ex governor James Ibori, currently serving a jail term over same act.
“We as staunch members of the Peoples Democratic Party, are obliged to draw your attention, our dear President to the inherent but looming danger for the party in the Delta Central and indeed, Delta State in the event that Chief Ighoyota Amori emerges a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he stated.
Amori was alleged to have awarded dubious contracts to himself while he held sway as commissioner for education under the James Ibori led- administration
“Mr President sir, the Urhobo nation, the fifth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria located in Central zone of Delta State, has not hidden its desire to form part of Your Excellency’s government; it will, however, not accept to be ridiculed by the nomination of Chief Ighoyota Amori, to represent our state.
“Chief Amori, a maternal cousin to James Ibori, erstwhile Commissioner for Education and Water Resources under the inglorious administration of James Ibori, was instrumental to the monumental corruption that greeted Delta State.
“Chief Amori Ibori, awarded series of humongous contracts to himself and were never executed. For example, Chief Amori awarded the contract for the fencing of schools in Delta State to himself and did not execute same till the second administration of James Ibori when he again, awarded the contract to himself.
“Chief Amori’s corruption level was heightened when in 2003 (just four years in office), he built a two hundred million naira worth of mansion in Edo State.
“As Commissioner for Water Resources in Delta State, Chief Amori was accused of embezzling money meant for the World Bank assisted water projects in Delta State”.
More so, in a communique issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the Urhobo Peoples Democratic Elders and Leaders’ Forum, the umbrella body of all political elders and leaders of Urhobo extraction, they also rejected the proposed appointment of Obarisi Ovie Omo-agege as a Minister from Delta State.
“Mr. President sir, at this time when the opposition has a wrong perspective of your commitment to fighting corruption, Obarisi Ovie Omo-agege will further give credence to such assertion.
“Ovie Omo-agege, who was in government from mid-2004 to May 29, 2007 (barely 3 years), questionably amassed the following properties here under-listed amongst others yet to be revealed:
“A palatial estate of multi blocks at Orhomuru – Orogun, built on reclaimed land valued at N1.5B (one billion, five million naira)
“A massive residential mansion located at No. 2-4 Johnson Duku Street, off the High Court Road, Effurun, GRA valued at N2B (two billion naira).
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