"Family members, like every other citizen, have the right to work, engage in business, and participate in competitive processes provided they meet regulatory requirements.“
The federal lawmaker representing Cross River State North, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, has denied allegations of procurement contract breach levelled against him by a civic technology organisation, TrackaNG.
John Adie, the media aide to Senator Jarigbe, in a release on Thursday reacted to SaharaReporters' report, noting that the lawmaker did not have a company linked to his family.
SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that documents obtained by civic accountability organisation TrackaNG revealed that a company allegedly linked to Senator Jarigbe received over ₦637million in federal payments for projects executed within the Cross River North Senatorial District.
But in his reaction, the Senator through his aide, noted that the contractors engaged in the projects "demonstrated capacity and professionalism in executing assignments and within stipulated guidelines."
The release said, "The Office of Senator Agom Jarigbe Jarigbe has noted with concern the recent wave of allegations and insinuations circulating in certain quarters regarding the award of contracts for constituency intervention projects in Cross River North Senatorial District.
"While we acknowledge the right of citizens and stakeholders to demand transparency and accountability in public service, it has become necessary to set the records straight and address what clearly appears to be a calculated attempt to distract from the senator’s verifiable developmental strides.
"The claims suggesting that contracts relating to the supply of motorcycles, computing equipment, emergency food support, and solar-powered streetlights were irregularly awarded to a company allegedly linked to the senator or his family are not only misleading but also devoid of factual and procedural basis.
"The company in question is a duly registered entity with all relevant statutory documentation and has participated in and executed projects long before the current interventions under Senator Jarigbe’s representation.
"For the avoidance of doubt, all constituency intervention projects attributed to Senator Jarigbe are processed through appropriate government implementing agencies in line with established procurement regulations. These agencies conduct independent bidding processes and award contracts strictly based on compliance with due process, capacity, and technical competence.
"At no point has Senator Jarigbe interfered with, influenced, or manipulated procurement procedures as being insinuated by detractors.
"It is particularly disturbing that rather than focus on the quality, impact, and successful delivery of these projects, which have directly improved the lives of constituents across Ogoja, Yala, Bekwarra, Obudu, and Obanliku, attention is being diverted to baseless speculation about who executed the projects. In today’s development-driven governance, what should matter most is whether public interventions meet their intended objectives, adhere to regulatory standards, and deliver measurable benefits to the people.
"The contractors engaged in these projects, including those now being unfairly singled out, have demonstrated capacity and professionalism in executing assignments effectively and within stipulated guidelines. The insinuation that individuals should be disqualified from legitimate professional engagements merely because of assumed or perceived family ties is not only unreasonable but also undermines the principles of fairness, economic participation, and lawful enterprise.
"Family members, like every other citizen, have the right to work, engage in business, and participate in competitive processes provided they meet regulatory requirements.
"The sustained attempt to politicise development interventions further exposes the extent to which certain opponents are willing to go in order to malign the reputation of Senator Jarigbe and diminish the impact of his service delivery. These distractions, however, will not deter the senator from remaining focused on fulfilling the mandate entrusted to him by the people of Cross River North.
"Senator Jarigbe remains committed to legislative excellence and constituency development, as evidenced by the numerous projects and empowerment programmes spanning education, healthcare, infrastructure, water supply, electrification, agriculture, youth development, and social welfare."