By Abiola Olawale
The raging allegations against immediate past Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa by an elder statesman, first Republic politician, former Federal Minister for Information during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon and Second Republic Senator representing Warri, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark has been identified as the root issue that blew open the pandora box on a web of corruption scandals involving the ex-governor.
Many took to various social media platforms to express their views, stressing that Chief E.K.Clark’s petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last year has now become an albatross to ex-governor Okowa.
This is the view of many following the arrest of the immediate past governor of Delta State, Okowa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday.
The New Diplomat reports that on Monday, reports emerged that Okowa has been arrested and is in the detention facility of the EFCC over alleged corruption, alleged fraudulent diversion of public funds, inappropriate transfer of the sum of N40bn belonging to Delta State to UTM floating LNG, a private company said to be mainly owned by one Mr Julius Rone, as well as diversion of N1.3 trillion derivation funds meant for oil producing communities to inappropriate ventures, amongst others.
The New Diplomat also recalls that E.K. Clark, the Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), had brought the allegations into the limelight in a petition filed against Okowa in July 2024.
In the petition Clark alleged that Okowa misappropriated the state’s derivation fund amounting to N1.760 trillion.
Clark also accused Okowa of floating a financial bank identified as, Premium Bank, which he allegedly used to lodge all the derivation funds.
Speaking on the petition then, the elder statesman said Okowa allegedly sidelined the Delta State oil-producing areas development commission (DESOPADEC) during his reign as governor of Delta State.
According to him, DESOPADEC is an interventionist agency established to manage a 13 per cent oil derivation fund to drive infrastructural development of the oil-producing communities in the state.
Clark had stated then: “Okowa said he had been spending the money. They answered that they spent N5 billion on paying pensioners. How does that come under 13 per cent?
“And they also spent the money building a university in Okowa’s village. I mentioned in the letter [to the EFCC] that Okowa has 13 companies. I told him he put the 13 per cent (derivation funds) into these 13 companies and let him deny it.
“The one paid to Delta state came to N1.767 trillion. Instead of paying 50 per cent (of the N1.760 trillion) to the DESOPADEC as provided by the law, which is automatic, he now held the 13 per cent fund — the entire money, dishing out instalmentally and approving every contract the DESOPADEC had awarded.
“So, Okowa has embezzled our money. It’s not even accounted for in his annual budget.”
