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| Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State. |
The All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State is not relenting in its opposition
efforts as it has again within three days issued another statement, this time
calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to cleanse his government of “economic vampires”
who are allegedly pilfering the state’s funds.
The APC made
the call in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Barrister Sylvester
Imonina where it called attention to information in the public domain alleging
that a top government functionary had been invited by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial sleaze.
Full text of APC’s statement reads:
Sack Appointees Whose Interests Are
Against Deltans- APC Charges Okowa
All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State charges Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to
weed out economic vampires in his Executive, and those who do not have good
intentions for the State. The call of the Party becomes necessary in view of
recent happenings in the State, wherein some members of the State Executive
Council's handling of acts of governance have fallen short of the demands of
their offices.
Also, the
Party and Deltans note with shock, the level of heartless pilfering of public
funds of the State by those who are supposed to be watchdogs to economic
brigandage by political office holders.
Information
in the public domain is that the Accountant General of the State, Mr. Cyril
Agbele, had been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), in relation to misappropriation, misapplication and embezzlement of
State funds, amounting to N14b (Fourteen Billion Naira). That is, without
following due process, the order of the Governor and/ or the Commissioner for
Finance, the said Cyril Agbele paid monies running into billions of Naira to
his cronies who parade themselves as Delta State Government's Contractors,
after allegedly collecting between ten to twenty percent of the contracts' sums
from them!
To all
well-meaning Deltans, the above is a declaration of economic war against
Deltans. This should not be treated with levity by the government and/ or seen
as a "paddy paddy misdemeanour" by the State Governor, and it should
not be!
According to
information made known to Deltans, when the State Government became aware of
the monumental fraud, a classified Committee was set up to probe the activities
of the Accountant General. Deltans who deserve to know how their patrimony is
being used were kept in the dark, until EFCC attention was drawn to same
through a petition.
When some
reputable media outlets called the Commissioner for Finance to ascertain the
veracity of the allegations against the Accountant General, he allegedly denied
knowledge of the existence of such huge fraud! The Commissioner also denied
knowledge of the setting up of any Committee to probe the Accountant General.
It is
baffling that the Commissioner for Finance feigned ignorant of the wanton fraud
committed against Deltans! Why the volte-face by the Commissioner for Finance?
Whose interest was/is he protecting? Definitely, it cannot be interest of
Deltans, or the Governor's interest!
Some days
ago, the Commissioner for Information labelled those whose interest is "a
better Delta State" and Deltans as liars and enemies of State Government,
because of a viral video, wherein two soldiers threatened to rape and infect
women in Warri with sexually transmitted diseases. The Commissioner streneously
made a defense in support of those "kaki boys" as not making any such
threat. But to the total surprise of the Government of Delta State, the
Nigerian Army arrested the culprits. Till date, the Governor of Delta State has
not seen any wrong done by the Commissioner for information against those he
governs, nor had he taken step to sack and/ or reprimand the said Commissioner!
The Governor
knows and we (Deltans)want to challenge him to run a government whose interest
support the interest/welfare of Deltans, not a few persons.
On the issue
of the allegations against the Accountant General, APC, Delta State challenges
the Governor to allow the law take its full course, despite the fact that the
Accountant General is his "manfriday" from the same Ika Nation with
him. Also, the hanky-panky (denial of obvious financial allegations against the
Accountant General) of the Commissioner for Finance should be looked into, to
ascertain if he has an interest he is trying to protect in respect of the
action of the Accountant General of the State.
Deltans are
still yearning for the sack of the Commissioner for information for his
ignominous defense of those soldiers who threatened the lives of Warri
women/Deltans. He is no longer trusted by Deltans.
Your
Excellency, write your name in gold by doing the needful in respect of the
actions of those members of the State Executive Council.
Sylvester
Imonina, Esq.,
Publicity
Secretary, APC, Delta State.
6th April,
2020.
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