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Monday, December 15, 2003
Recently a national newspaper reported of 20 million Naira scam involving the leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja and the State Deputy Governor, Sir Gabriel Toby. This report has since provoked series of reactions from various quarters not least from Hon Gogo-Jaja, who denied the report. " I want to say clearly that I never granted an interview to anybody who introduced himself as a journalist. Infact, I want to say that I didn’t grant any such interview to anybody", Hon. Tamunosisi said. Similar reactions also came from the deputy governors office, where a press statement was issued denouncing the report as a figment of the reporters imagination. However this controversy could not go away and Hon Gogo-Jaja the man in the eye of the storm addressed the media to put across his own side of the story.
Excerpts:
A story was attributed to you in a national daily alleging that the deputy governor was involved in a "N20 million contract scam" could you confirm the true position?
I hope you are talking about a publication that was made in the Daily Independent. The true position is that there is nothing like that. If you take a look at that publication, it is based on insinuations. The only area where they want to use somebody to say something like that happened was when they said that when the House leader was contacted, that he confirmed walking out of a meeting. I want to say that I never did any such thing. I did not grant any such interview. I also want to say that there was no such meeting between the deputy governor and I, or any other politician. There is no issue like that.
We’re aware that a contract was awarded, what exactly was the contract sum? Was it N20 million or N10 million?
May be you would make some of these facts known to me. But I represent the Opobo/Nkoro constituency where incidentally the deputy governor comes from. And I think that during the first tenure of this administration, the government through the Land and Housing Bureau renovated some secondary schools. In my constituency about three secondary schools were renovated. That was either in 1999 or 2000. Those who handled the project was Land and Housing Bureau. But it will be derogatory to say that the deputy governor invited me to a meeting... and I walked out!
Initially, did you make a bid for the contract?
Not at all! Not at all. But as the representative of my people and the House leader, His Excellency, the governor, wanted an input and the recommendation of Secondary Schools to be renovated.... I can remember that when I was asked the schools to be renovated that I had to contact the deputy governor. He also advised, take this, leave this, take that and leave that.
The deputy governor is of the executive and you’re of the legislation, the order came from the governor, Okay?
Yeah!
And you said it was you who contacted the deputy governor to tell him it was an order from the governor?
No! No! No! I said when my office was reached, remember that apart from being a member of Opobo/Nkoro constituency, I’m the House leader, and by the virtue of that there are privileges that are also due me. My opinion was sought... and being aware that we have an elder statesman who is the deputy governor of the state.... I have to consult him and he advised that we take so so secondary school.
So the information reached you first and it was you who carried it to the deputy governor?
I wouldn’t say so because he is part of the decision making body, the executive.
We talked to some of the people who executed the contract and they said you were initially part of the team but that you opted out, saying you were not interested in joint execution of the contract as approved by the party elders.
I’m hearing this for the second time. The first time was when they awarded the job. Some of my constituents approached me and said that they learned I’m supposed to be part of those who will renovate the secondary school. I never attended any meeting and I never heard any other things about it.
Can you remember how much was the contract sum?
I don’t know. I think the ones (figures) one can remember will be bridgetary provisions, that’s what legislators are concerned with. It is the job of the governor or the Tenders Board to confirm who gets what and for how much? So I wouldn’t get the figure off hand because I wasn’t the contractor. I think the contractor will be asked to say how much he got the job for.
The story credited to you said the contract was awarded for N20 million and the deputy governor yanked off N10 million. Since the controversy broke out, haven’t you taken out time to find out the real contract sum?
Let me say that sometimes some of these things are amusing. It’s ridiculous for somebody like me to be involved in an issue like that. If you have also known Sir Gabriel Toby, what is N10 million, or N20 million? I didn’t take to approach the Land and Housing Bureau because for me it was not an issue. Somebody said he interviewed me and I’m telling you that I was not interviewed. Somebody said I walked out of a meeting and I know that there was no such meeting. I do not have that courage, and I repeat, that I do not have the courage to walk out of a meeting where the deputy governor is presiding. Even if Gabriel Toby is not the deputy governor of this state, by all standards, if he convenes a meeting in Opobo kingdom, as the House leader, I do not have the courage to walk out, no matter the level of provocation. First, if you know the man you are talking about, it is not because he’s from Opobo, anybody wh has known him very well and followed his track record, he calls a spade a spade!
We gathered that you insisted on executing the contract alone and that when the party elders insisted on a group of 13 you walked out. That seems to align with the Daily Independent story.
If you look at my back ground, I’m a historical scientist. Having been a journalist is what we are looking for is fact, and what I’ve given you are facts, the truth.
Now let’s get one thing clear. Somebody wrote a story and quoted you. We’ve equally talked to him and he insists that he talked to you. And here we are, you too are insisting you didn’t talk to him! So which of you do we believe?
Well, I’ve directed that my lawyer write the Daily Independent. Since I came in here as majority leader and from majority leader to House leader, before I grant interview to anybody, just like I asked you today, I insist on mid get, having practised journalism myself, so that I won’t be misquoted and nobody claims I am interviewed. I’m sure that this matter will get beyond this point, truly speaking. It will get beyond this point. I believe that somebody is beating the drum somewhere. Very soon we will know the man who is beating the drum, and the dances too. I get to know this Psaro, he visited this office just like any other journalist, and introduced himself as staff writer of Newswatch and that he wants to interview me. I told him I don’t want to grant an interview! He sat down and introduced himself that he is from the Ogoni axis and talked about Ogoni. I told him I don’t want to grant an interview and he left. Only for somebody from the office of the deputy governor that he came there and told them that the House leader took him to Opobo to inspect some projects, lodged him in a hotel.... They explained to him and he exclaimed. "Ehh! How will anybody want to run somebody down! Is it how this world is?" He said that he has known the truth....
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