By Austin Ogwuda
IMMEDIATE past governor of Delta State, Nigeria, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has reacted to the call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC to commence probe on allegations of financial impropriety levelled against him.
Anti-Corruption group, The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative (NACAT) addressed a press conference in Abuja, Wednesday, calling on EFCC to commence probe, saying confidently that “We have painstakingly investigated and audited many of the financial records of the State (Delta) available to us and detailed our findings here as part of our press briefing today”.
But in a sharp reaction on Thursday, Okowa who spoke through Mr Olise Ifeajika, who was his Chief Press Secretary CPS during his tenure and presently one of the Senior Media Aides to the present Governor Sheriff Oborevwori stating that “most of the allegations were frivolous and unfounded.
“The thing is not new, we have seen such allegations before, but they have done well to have sent petitions to ICPC and EFCC.
That is okay. They are whistleblowers but they should allow these authorities to do the investigations.
“They can’t be judges in their, in their own case. They are the accusers and they want to be judges at the same time”.
He concluded by saying that his principal ruled the state with utmost transparency and observed due process in all his dealings as governor.
Executive Director of Investigation at NACAT, Tega Oghenedoro had at that press conference in Abuja Wednesday, said some governors have petitions against them at the EFCC but the continued neglect of probing these petitions was discouraging to the amount of time and money put into investigations by the petitioners.
“We are at loss at why the EFCC and ICPC have not started investigating and prosecuting past Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, despite the petition against him. We have submitted petitions to such effect for months. A Statesman from Delta ( Chief Edwin Clark) has also submitted a petition.
“If the EFCC will constantly turn a blind eye to such corruption that happened over Okowa, which makes that of ex-governor Yahaya Bello’s alleged N88 billion a child play, then they should let Yahaya Bello walk scot free. It seems that the EFCC is in bed with ex-governors from the South South who are the biggest looters in the country.
“As a leading anti-corruption group in Nigeria, we will be failing in our duties and responsibilities if we turn a blind eye to the wanton corruption and embezzlement of public funds orchestrated by former governors not bring it to the public domain”, the group stated.
*Credit: Okowa’s reaction to Green White Green (GWG)