EFCC May Confiscate Umana’s Illegal Money Bunker, As Ex Finance Staff Exposes His Shady Deals
There are indications that the governorship ambition of the immediate past secretary to the Akwa Ibom state government, Obong Okon Umana may suffer a setback following the latest move by the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC, to uncover the truth or otherwise of the presence of an underground bunker in his Ewet Housing Estate private residence where stolen money is believed to be stored.
Sources gathered that some members of his campaign team and a source at the PDP national secretariat at Wadata House, have severally revealed that money they collect from him are usually wrapped and marked with All States Trust Bank and FCMB on the naira notes.
Another source who volunteered information on the development, explained that most of the marked naira notes date back to 2003. A source who would not want his name disclosed, hinted that the EFCC was alerted following alarm raised by some elders at the national party secretariat who became suspicious of the wrapped All States Trust Bank and FCMB naira notes which dates back to 2003.
It was further revealed that the former SSG may have siphoned billions of Akwa Ibom money during Attah's tenure where he served as commissioner for finance. The money, according to the source, “were funds meant for consultation to top PDP elders and royal fathers across the country during the presidential ambition of the former governor which never saw the light of the day”.
It was gathered that Mr. Umana diverted the money and stored them in his underground bunker. The presence of 2003 FCMB marked currency on the wrapped notes further raises suspicion on the alleged complicity of the immediate past commissioner for finance, Mr. Bassey Albert who at the time served as a management staff of FCMB.
According to a Iboro Etim, retired civil servant in the state, “Umana Umana's financial war chest where he heavily relies upon to prosecute his 2015 governorship ambition could be traced to the looted funds he is believed to have siphoned from the state treasury”.
Mr Etim said that Umana's tenure as Finance boss between 2004 and 2007 saw the highest level of fraud and irresponsible budget implementation, which saw to the flop by the Attah administration.
Said he, “Umana was the chairman of the Interministerial Direct Labour Committee, and if you ask me, show me one project they executed, I will have no response, yet billions of Naira was looted to give Attah a bad name.”
The former staff of the board of internal revenue bemoaned the serial squandering and embezzlement of state funds in the state during the tenure of Obong Attah, under the watchful eyes of Obong Umana adding that, “and that is the same Attah that Umana is sponsoring a reception for at Asan Ibibio, who is the bigger fool here?”
The angry Ibesikpo Asutan born clerical officer concluded that in an ideal setting, Umana should be cooling off in jail, because he is morally bankrupt.
“Let me tell you, Umana as Finance Commissioner usually negotiated a deal with so-called contractors and pay them 80 – 90% of contract sum of which he will squeeze out 50%. This leaves the contractor with almost nothing to execute the project. That is why Attah left behind more abandoned projects than any government in the history of Nigeria.”
Bassey Ubokudom
Dignity Media, Akwa Ibom State