By Abiola Olawale
In an apparent move to continue its investigation on an alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion state funds during the administration of the immediate past governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly again summoned the Delta State Accountant General, Mrs. Joy Enwa, one Ekeruche, and other officials for further questioning.
This development is coming shortly after some Delta State government officials had been arrested and quizzed in December over an ongoing probe into allegations of mismanagement of funds, specifically the 13% derivation funds allocated to oil-producing states from 2015 to 2023.
Following their inquisition, Enwa and other government officials were reportedly released last December.
However, fresh reports emerging on Thursday reveal that the anti-graft agency has sent a summons to Enwa and other government officials to report back to the commission in the second week of January.
It was reported that the invited Delta State government officials are expected to be grilled at the EFCC’s facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It would be recalled that the development comes after Okowa, who was the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, was recently quizzed in connection with an ongoing probe into allegations of fraud and reported allegations of diversion of 13% derivation funds.
The raging allegations against Okowa came after 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, had blown open, via a petition, the pandora box on a web of alleged corruption scandals .
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 being the mastermind behind a financial bank identified as, Premium Bank.
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.
There were also allegations of inappropriate and controversial investment of a whopping N40bn of Delta State funds in a private venture known as UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas, owned by one Julius Roni, without corresponding concurrence from Delta stakeholders and appropriate due process.
However, Okowa had maintained that his administration did not engage in any misappropriation or bad deeds. According to the former governor, all his actions are in accordance with his resolve to improve the lots of Delta state and its people.
