Delta Deputy Speaker Denies Diversion Of N1.4b

 Honourable Friday Osanebi, the deputy speaker of the Delta state House of Assembly has reiterated that he did not collect any money meant for Ndokwa youths from the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) as alleged by a socio-political group, Coalition of Ndokwa Youth Leaders.

Friday Osanebi

The group said that the lawmaker who represents the people of Ndokwa East state constituency had since 2011 been collecting security money of N20 million monthly totalling N1.4 billion, meant for Ndokwa youths from the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) without remitting it to the youths.


Speaking with the media through a telephone conversation, the chief press secretary to the deputy speaker, Michael Oyibosochukwu Nwabueze, said that the allegation by the group leader, Alex Agha, was not only libellous but also frivolous, stressing that the lawmaker did not collect any dime meant for the youths.

He said that all the money meant for youth security in the last administration was received and managed by the-then commissioner for Youth Development, Ebifa Ijomah.

On the reason for the agitation for a recall of Osanebi, the press scribe said that because those who make up what he called the “guerrilla group” are not on ground to know what is going on, they are bent on hijacking what is meant for the youth development.

He noted that the agitation had resulted from the moment Osanebi had said that it would no longer be business as usual and that those who claim to be national youth leaders of Ndokwa should subject themselves to an electoral process and authorization of their community/clan youth leaders.

Nwabueze added that a certain youth leader of Ndokwa community where the deputy speaker represents, Comrade Tony Ndanenu, had publicly said that he collected the money for few months, a revelation which Agha (the group leader) also corroborated.

Also speaking on a separate conversation, Agha said that although, Comrade Ndanenu had “claimed” that he only collected for just three months amounting to N60million, but that the trio of Osanebi, Ndanenu and Ijomah will all have to account for the money when the time comes.

On his part, Comrade Ndanenu who was initially reluctant to speak on the issue said that Alex was not sure of his facts, stressing that he was not well briefed about the issues surrounding the money.

Meanwhile, James Ibori, the former Delta state governor, has replied to the ex-boss of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, over his claim that the ex-governor bribed him with $15m to stop the investigation into his activities.

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