By Bayo Davids
The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has questioned the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence, Mr Gabriel Aduda, over his role in the alleged misuse of the sum of $2m meant for the renovation of the Nigerian Permanent Mission Representative’s residence in New York, United States of America.
When the contract was awarded in 2021, Aduda was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Residence of the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, located at 548 South Broadway, Tarrytown, New York, was built in 1906 and bought by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1960. It is a historic monument, and since its purchase, no major renovation of the property has been done.
The investigation followed a recent tour of Nigerian mission properties in the United Kingdom and the United States of America led by the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Oluwole Oke.
Mr Oke, a lawmaker representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency has expressed his committee’s readiness to go the whole distance in ensuring that the project is completed and put to use in the country’s interest.
According to him, Mr Aduda, who honoured the committee’s invitation on Thursday, March 6, 2025, was invited to explain what he knew about the project and why the contractor had allegedly abandoned work after collecting about 95 per cent of the contract sum.
He said, “The Contractor handling the job is alleged to have abandoned the site since 2023 having collected 95 per cent of the contract sum.”
Before his appearance, this medium gathered that the Oke-led committee in a letter dated February 27, 2025, mandated the Permanent Secretary to provide details of what he knew about the project.
Titled, “Re-renovation of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative’s residence, allegation of mismanagement of capital funds and breach of Public Procurement Act, 2007,” the letter read in part, “The House Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted an oversight tour of Nigeria’s Permanent Representatives residence renovation project at Tarry Town New York, United States of America between 10th-13th February, 2025 and discovered that the project was abandoned since 2023.
“Further investigation and hearing at the Nigeria’s House, Permanent Mission, and based on the document presented, your name featured prominently; as you were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time, who superintended over the award of the contract for $2, 045, 000.”
While the details of what transpired at the meeting remained sketchy, the Committee has again summoned Aduda to appear before it on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 in continuation of the investigation.
In another letter exclusively obtained by our correspondent, the panel urged the Permanent Secretary to submit before it a written submission.
The letter dated March 3 and received at the Federal Ministry of Defence on March 11, 2025 read, “Pursuant to the combined provisions of Sections 62, 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Section 2 of Legislative Houses (Powers and Priviledges) Act 2017, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives relying on the above instruments has commenced investigation into alleged violation of provisions of procurement Act of 2007, Money Laundry Prohibition Act etc, in relation to the renovation of Nigeria’s Ambassador Residence to the UN in New York, United States of America.
“As you are aware, the project which was awarded during your time as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has suffered unnecessary delay, leading to abandonment of project by the contractor. As one of the principal actors and in line with the principles of fair hearing, this Committee is requesting you to send a written submission on your role in the award of the contract and any other details that will assist the Committee in this legislative assignment.
“The submission should reach the Committee on or before Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Suite 4.23, New Building, House of Representatives.
“Consequently, you are by this letter invited to appear before the investigative hearing which is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at Hearing Room 447, New Building of the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja, by 11:00 AM.”
Mr Aduda, who has met with the Committee twice, did not respond to enquiries from Pointblank News.
Project not abandoned, says contractor
Meanwhile, the contractor handling the project, Mr Wale Owomoyela, has described as untrue the claims that the project has been abandoned.
In an interaction with our correspondent, the contractor said, “The site was not abandoned. Someone is throwing around the idea that the site was abandoned.”
Declining to field questions from our correspondent until this correspondent is taken to the United States to behold the project site, Owomoyela asked how this medium got to know about the project in the first place.
“Who told you about the project, and who is alleging mismanagement?” he asked, insisting, “I have to take you on a long journey to give you my side. That will involve taking you to the site.”
When asked if he had been paid 95 per cent of the contract sum, Owomoyela said, “Nope, I am not going to do this.”
Persistent persuasion by our correspondent yielded little as the contractor insisted a deep knowledge of renovation work in a foreign country is needed to unravel what went wrong with the project.
“Renovation work in a foreign country is one of those things you must have deep knowledge of. I know you are an intelligent person, but you have to read up a lot and do a site inspection to do a good job in this regard.
“Google how much it costs to renovate in New York per square metre. I understand that there is a bias against how government funds are spent generally, but on this one, I am sure that anyone who doesn’t understand construction in the United States and has not visited the site cannot properly investigate this.
“You cannot investigate the mismanagement of a US project that you haven’t visited from Nigeria,” he added.
Continuing, Owomoyela, in a chat with our correspondent, insisted that only a visit to the project site would be enough to make him provide answers to his questions.
“Let me advise you,” he said, “Get someone in the mission that gave me the job to take you to the job site. When you get there, you will get answers to your questions.”
Allegation weird, contractor insists
Describing the allegation that he got 95 per cent of the contract sum as weird, Owomoyela asked, “How can you get accused of collecting 95 per cent of the money for a project and abandoning the project? They don’t even understand the percentage of the project that is visibly and certifiably completed.
“(These are) just weird allegations by people who know nothing about a project, making completely baseless and uneducated allegations and looking for issues where there are none,” he stressed, asking, “How do you enter finished spaces, and call it abandoned?”
Justice must prevails, says Committee Chair
Meanwhile, Mr Oke has assured Nigerians of justice in the matter, noting that it may resort to the use of Mutual Legal Assistance if necessary.
“Our major focus is to get the job done, nothing more. We would not allow any person to collect our taxpayers’ money/public funds and go away with it.
“For those in the USA, we would trigger MLA to get them to book, and for those who awarded the contract at the Ministry Headquarters, whether they’re still in office or have left, we would get them to face the full wrath of law if found wanting,” the Osun lawmaker assured.
Mr Aduda is billed to appear before the committee next week in continuation of the investigation.