Alleged $10m diversion: Ignore Okowa’s denial, probe him now – APC tells EFCC

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for probe of the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, over allegations that he diverted $10 million bailout funds.

A statement yesterday by acting spokesman of the APC in Delta State, Leonard Obi, also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the alleged missing N48.6 billion Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission fund.

APC asked EFCC to dismiss denial by Okowa and thoroughly scrutinize the state’s finances.
The statement reads in parts: “We hope that it is not true that the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is the one involved; but, if it is established that he is implicated, then it is most cruel, manipulative and disgraceful for Governor Okowa to debase himself so callously, and to have acted in a manner that is so ‘criminal’ and morally unjust.
“We implore EFCC to dig deeper with this investigation and uncover other possible covert misappropriation by Governor Okowa who has still not responded to a recent accusation that he, allegedly, has misappropriated a colossal sum of N48.6b from the statutory allocation due to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), being half of the total 13% derivation funds that accrued to Delta State from May 2015 to November 2016.
“It is obvious to Deltans that under Governor Okowa’s PDP-led government and indeed, all previous PDP-led administrations, Delta State has nosedived in all ramifications: economically, educationally and in the quality of its infrastructure, leaving the state impoverished and left behind on several development indices.

“Even Delta State government workers and aged pensioners who have long been weeping and wailing over non-payment of their salaries and pensions have not been spared; and they have been protesting incessantly for release of their salaries and pensions.
“In the midst of such extreme insensitivity to the plight of Deltans, it is awful and disgusting to be reminded of the looting of Delta State treasury which cabals in previous PDP-led administrations visited upon the innocent people of Delta State.
“We now have every cause to worry that the looting of Delta State treasury has become another recurring decimal with this Okowa PDP-led government.
“Given the gravity of the allegations, we call on Governor Okowa to step into the open and clear the air on this scandalous fleecing of the wealth of Deltans, including the reported misappropriation of N48.6billion DESOPADEC funds.

“We, APC Delta State, roundly condemn this damnable fraud on the people of Delta State, and demand that the EFCC does everything to bring the culprits to book immediately. Deltans are eager and waiting. Nigeria is waiting.”