In a startling revelation, Paul Odili, Executive Assistant on International Partnerships to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, has been implicated in a brazen case of contract fraud involving the illegal substitution of a consulting firm on a World Bank-supported project.
The controversy centers around the World Bank’s Nigeria for Women Project, a targeted initiative aimed at empowering Nigerian women through socio-economic capacity development.
In 2024, Delta State, as one of the project’s beneficiaries, planned to implement a major phase of the initiative through its Ministry of Economic Planning.
One of the firms that responded to the government’s interest in the project was Peritum Pro, a consulting firm led by Theodora Ogharanduku.
The firm submitted a proposal focusing on the capacity-building component of the project, particularly aimed at training members of the Delta State Social Protection Technical Working Group (SPTWG).
According to Ogharanduku, the proposal sought to, review the state’s social protection policy, build institutional capacity, address policy lapses and mitigate corruption, strengthen data collection frameworks and improve access to grants and development financing
The proposal, reportedly shepherded through various levels of government by Odili and Martina Amromanoh, Director of the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), was vetted and approved by relevant officials, including Commissioner for Economic Planning, Sunny Ekadeyan. The final nod came from Governor Oborevwori himself in December 2024.
However, just as Peritum Pro prepared to launch project implementation, communication from the government abruptly ceased. Concerned by the silence, Ogharanduku contacted the Ministry, only to uncover a shocking development.
Peritum Pro had been unlawfully replaced on the project, allegedly by a firm linked to Paul Odili himself.
In a February 20, 2025 letter to Odili, and in an interview with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Peritum Pro’s legal counsel, Obasi Nwabueze, accused Odili and Amromanoh of orchestrating the substitution after the governor’s approval.
> “Unbeknownst to our client, while they awaited official mobilisation, you, in collusion with Mrs. Amromanoh, orchestrated an unethical and unlawful substitution of our client’s name in the project records,” Nwabueze stated.
“Driven by greed and malice, you replaced our client with your preferred contractor, an act that constitutes a clear violation of public procurement laws and is actionable under both ICPC and EFCC statutes.”
The letter further detailed the financial and reputational damage caused to Peritum Pro, including months of unpaid labour, lost development opportunities, and millions of naira in sunk operating costs.
“Our client is convinced that your intention all along was to exploit Peritum Pro’s expertise and intellectual property for personal gain,” Nwabueze added. “You stole and misappropriated our client’s concept, project plan, and contract.”
Martina Amromanoh is said to have later admitted to the substitution, informing Commissioner Ekadeyan that Odili had directed her to alter the project documents. Ogharanduku added:
“I was stunned. His company knew nothing about the project and had no capacity to implement it.”
This case, now gaining public attention, raises critical questions about the transparency and integrity of contract awards under the Oborevwori administration, especially on internationally backed programs meant to serve vulnerable populations.
As scrutiny intensifies, legal and anti-corruption agencies may soon be called to investigate what appears to be a blatant abuse of office, intellectual theft, and procurement malpractice, all within the corridors of Delta State’s highest offices.
Credit: BIGPEN except headline
