* Allegedly exploits position to channel funds to own companies
* Owns properties valued at about N5bn
By Dauda Ismail
A fresh controversy has emerged at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, over the alleged ownership and control of several high-value commercial properties and corporate entities in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, reportedly linked to Dr Week Doodei, a former Director of Procurement at the Commission.
An investigation by AljazirahNigeria Newspapers has uncovered corporate records, shareholding structures and property interests that have prompted scrutiny regarding whether the assets may be connected, directly or indirectly, to the former public official.
The properties under examination include King Georges Court Hotel & Suites, Deroyal Galaxy Mall, and a water manufacturing company known as Emmanuel Clime Nigeria Limited, all located in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The emerging details have raised questions about ownership structures, possible beneficial interests, and compliance with asset declaration requirements for public officers.
At the heart of the allegation is King Georges Court Hotel & Suites, an upscale hospitality facility reportedly situated along Isaac Boro Expressway in the Etegwe area of Yenagoa. The property sits alongside Deroyal Galaxy Mall, a commercial complex that has grown into a busy retail hub in the city.
Filings obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, show that Dr Doodei served as a director of King Georges Court Express Hotel & Suites Limited while still in public service, from June 2016 until July 25, 2023, when he formally resigned.
Although the records confirm his previous directorship, questions have arisen regarding whether he retains any beneficial interest in the enterprise beyond what is publicly documented. Further documentation reviewed during the investigation identifies Aladin Binatari and Vangeryina Lumun Donald as shareholders and directors associated with the hotel and mall ventures.
However, sources familiar with the business environment in Yenagoa say the individuals publicly known commercial activities do not immediately reflect the financial capacity typically associated with establishing or acquiring projects of such scale.
This disparity has fuelled speculation within local business circles that the companies may have undisclosed beneficial interests or silent partners.
In Nigeria today, such arrangements are not uncommon in corporate structures, where individuals may hold assets through proxies, nominees or affiliated entities.
Further scrutiny has been drawn to the ownership structure of Deroyal Galaxy Mall.
Corporate records indicate that Week Waripamowei Doodei, reportedly aged 21 and identified as the son of the former NDDC procurement director, holds a 40 per cent equity stake in the mall.
This shareholding has raised questions about how such a significant interest may have been acquired.
Industry analysts note that developing or acquiring a commercial complex of that magnitude would typically require substantial financial investment, often running into hundreds of millions of naira.
The listing of a young shareholder with a major stake has therefore prompted questions about the source of financing and whether the investment may have been supported by external interests. For instance, Joshua Ogieva, a public affairs analyst said: Tell me how a 21-year old can have 40 percent shares in such a huge investment when he hasnt even begun to make money. Or at what age could he have graduated from school, began working, and saved up to hunreds of millions to commit into such an investment?
So I can confidently tell you that he is only a front for someone with deep pockets but willing to lay low?
However, this development has attracted attention because of the public office previously held by Dr Doodei.
Furthermore, investigation has also identified Emmanuel Clime Nigeria Limited, a water production and bottling company operating along Kpansia Market Road in Yenagoa. The facility is understood to run a sizeable water manufacturing operation supplying packaged drinking water within parts of Bayelsa State.
Preliminary findings suggest that the company may be linked to Dr Doodeis spouse, although its full ownership structure remains unclear.
Given the scale of the operation, questions have been raised about whether the former public official may hold any beneficial interest in the enterprise, either directly or indirectly.
Corporate governance experts say such situations often require careful scrutiny where public officers or their close family members are connected to commercial ventures. But independent sources claim that the King Georges Court Hotel & Suites, Deroyal Galaxy Mall, and the water processing company, Emmanuel Clime Nigeria Limited total up to N5bn in cost.
The emerging questions also intersect with Nigerias legal requirements regarding asset declaration by public officials. Under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, public officers are required to declare their assets and financial interests upon assumption of office and at the end of their tenure.
The law extends to assets held not only directly but also indirectly through spouses, dependants, or associated persons.
Legal analysts say the intent of the provision is to promote transparency and guard against conflicts of interest.
Where questions arise regarding ownership of high-value assets, investigators often examine whether such interests were duly disclosed in asset declaration filings submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
In line with established journalistic practice, AljazirahNigeria Newspapers formally wrote to Dr Doodei requesting clarification on the issues identified during the investigation. The letter dated February 3, with headline, JOURNALISTIC INQUIRY AND REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION REGARDING ALLEGED PROPERTY AND CORPORATE INTERESTS, and signed by George Emine, the Editor (Daily), sought his response on several key questions, including whether he has ever held any direct or indirect beneficial interest in King Georges Court Hotel & Suites, Deroyal Galaxy Mall or Emmanuel Clime Nigeria Limited beyond what is reflected in public records.
The inquiry also asked whether any individuals listed as shareholders or directors in the companies may have acted as nominees or proxies on his behalf.
In addition, the former NDDC official was asked to clarify the source of funding for the properties and businesses and whether any interests connected to him or his immediate family were duly declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau in accordance with the law.
But as at the time of filing this report, no response had been received from Dr Doodei. Instead a cover letter sent to the current Director of Procurement
Who took over from Doodei, Dr Chucks Osuji, titled REQUEST FOR FORWARDING OF OFFICIAL JOURNALISTIC CORRESPONDENCE, was eventually replied with Dr Osuji saying that he does not know the current address of Dr Doodei and does not know any who knows despite the fact that they all worked together at the commission for years.
AljazirahNigeria emphasises that the issues raised remain allegations and questions arising from publicly available records and preliminary inquiries.
No conclusions have been drawn regarding the ownership of the assets or the legality of the corporate arrangements.
However, transparency advocates say clarifying such matters is essential to maintaining public trust, particularly where individuals who have held senior positions in public institutions are linked to significant private investments.
For now, the answers to the questions surrounding the Yenagoa properties and associated companies remain pending.
Should Dr Doodei provide clarification or supporting documentation, this medium shall publish his response in full as part of its commitment to balanced, fair and responsible journalism.
