By CHARLES IWUOHA

The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has dismissed claims in some quarters that it is enmeshed in N3.2b contract scandal.

The group described the syndicated story as false, baseless, and unfounded.

It said ordinarily, the Commission would have disregarded the barrage of lies targeted at the Commission by these hatchet men and their sponsors, but doing so will amount to allowing the misleading narrative to gain ground among unsuspecting populace.

This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Head of Information and Public Relations, lshaku Kigbu, and made available to News Express.

According to the statement, “There is, therefore, need to put the records straight and silence these enemies of the Commission for good.”

The statement reads: “In response to the petition submitted regarding the recent decision of the management to suspend the award of contracts, it is imperative to provide clarity and context to the issues surrounding the decision taken.

“It is worthy of note to state that when Hon. Ayuba Gufwan assumed office in August, he convened his first management meeting in order to gain insights into the Commission’s operations and ongoing projects.

“It was during this meeting that the management staff briefed him on the irregularities surrounding certain contracts.

“One curious fact that emerged from the meeting was that contracts were allegedly approved and finalized after the removal of the former Executive Secretary, Dr. James David Lalu, who, despite being relieved of his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, refused to hand over to the most senior director as stipulated by civil service practice and continued to act in an official capacity despite his removal and the appointment of a successor.

“The briefing by the management team further highlighted that the contracts were processed during this transitional period without proper adherence to due process and contractual agreements.

“Thus, following management’s careful review, consideration, and consultations, they came to a conclusion that continuing with the dubious practice will resort to monumental embarrassment for the Commission.

“The management then recommended that the contracts be suspended, and the process undertaken afresh with due process and strict adherence to contractual tenets.

“This decision was also made to ensure compliance with the principles of transparency, fairness, and merit as outlined by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

“It is important to state that in all of these, there were no binding legal agreements whatsoever between the Commission and these so-called contractors, and neither did their ‘award letters’ cited in the petition constitute legally binding agreements.

“Moreso, the Commission’s Legal Department has repeatedly said it had not signed any contractual agreements with these contractors.

“The Commission has always maintained this stance and had also dared the contractor/contractors to produce a legal document indicating any binding agreement between it and the contractors.

“But curiously, for about three months now, they have been unable to produce any to justify their claims and rantings.

“The question is, why is it difficult for them to produce a simple legal document that is binding on the Commission to prove that they sealed any contract with the Commission?

“Let the person(s) alleging show evidence that the Commission entered into any commitment with them regarding award of contracts.

“Rather than throw money around to sponsor protests and syndicate sponsored write ups with screaming headlines in newspapers and the social media, he or they should save Nigerians this cheap drama and blackmail to produce a legal document that is binding on the Commission regarding the contracts they are crying wolf about.

“Nigerians are not stupid to buy this poorly orchestrated drama. The world over, legal documents binding on both parties are a necessary step for formalizing any procurement process.

“As for the NCPWD, it values its partnership with stakeholders and remains dedicated to its mission of improving the lives of persons with disabilities across Nigeria. The Commission”s leadership under Hon. Ayuba Gufwan is resolute in fostering trust, accountability, and excellence in service delivery, and would not be distracted by elements bent on working against reforms he started in the Commission.”