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fewer than 12 governors are being investigated by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices
Commission for massive fraud and misappropriation of public funds in
their states, a SUNDAY PUNCH investigation has revealed. Our
correspondent learnt that the discreet investigations commenced
after the anti-graft agencies received several petitions against the 12 governors.
While the EFCC is investigating eight governors, the ICPC is probing four.
It was gathered that most of the petitions were received after the said governors had celebrated their first year in office.
A senior official of the EFCC, who
pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter,
told our correspondent that the number of the petitions against each of
the governor was so huge that the agency could not ignore them.
The official added that though the
commission did not have the powers to prosecute the governors because of
the immunity they enjoy, it would continue with the probe.
According to the source, nearly all
the governors were aware that there were petitions against them but they
did not know that investigations had begun.
He said, “We won’t wait until they
finish their tenure before we start our work. Moreover, we are not
talking about one or two petitions against the governors, the petitions
are in huge numbers and we have a duty to act. Of course, not all the
allegations in the petition will be true but we have to find out first.
“Once they finish their tenure, we
will be sending out invitations and making arrests. We have a minimum of
two years to finish our investigations on them. When they finish
ruling, we will be ready.”
When pressed by SUNDAY PUNCH to
divulge the identity of the governors, the source refused. The official
expressed fears that the governors could scuttle the investigations by
bringing political pressure to bear on the agency and its investigators.
He, however, identified Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State as being on the probe list.
“Both of them are aware of the
investigations but others are not. If we give you their names, they will
start intense lobbying and manoeuvrings which won’t aid our
investigations,” the source added.
Last year, the sacked chairmen of
the 27 local governments in Imo State had told the EFCC that Okorocha
misappropriated funds from a N13.5bn bond raised by his predecessor,
Ikedi Ohakim.
The Association of Local Governments
of Nigeria also alleged that since June 2011, the Joint Accounts
Committee in Imo State had not functioned and all statutory allocations
due to the local governments totaling over N80bn had been
misappropriated by Okorocha.
Following the ALGON petition, among
others, operatives of the EFCC visited Imo in October and commenced
probes into the operations of the state joint account with the local
government as well as the financial records of the state under former
Governor Ikedi Ohakim.
However, the state Commissioner for
Information, Mr. Chinedu Offor, had said, “The investigation of the
state finances is a welcome development because the EFCC is finally
making efforts to investigate and hopefully recover billions of Naira
spent on phantom Internet-based projects.
“Okorocha was the first sitting
governor to have called on the EFCC to set up a unit in every governor’s
office to pre-empt and prevent corruption rather than launching
investigations after the funds go missing. He runs the most transparent
administration in the country and has nothing to hide.”
SUNDAY PUNCH further gathered that
Uduaghan was being investigated for the “suspicious award of Asaba
International Airport contracts and other projects.”
“The petitions against the Delta
State governor and some of his officials queried the way they have been
awarding contracts and questionable projects. We have gone to the state
and invited some of the officials. They have told us what they know but
we are not satisfied so we will keep at it,” the source added.
Confirming the petitions against the
governors, the Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Wilson
Uwujaren, said, “We have petitions against some of the sitting governors
and we are making some enquiries about the petitions. I cannot tell you
the governors being investigated even though the public is aware of
some. Yes, the governors enjoy immunity but it won’t deter us.”
Similarly, ICPC spokesman, Mr. Folu Olamiti, confirmed that the agency was probing four governors.
He said, “I can’t give you their
names and I can’t tell you how far we have gone but we are investigating
four governors. The governors enjoy immunity but the people they use to
pilfer public funds don’t. We are interrogating their men and when we
are done, we will charge them to court.”
(PUNCH)
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