Alleged N458m bribe: Agbaso disowns ownership of bank account

Imo State Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, has appealed to security agencies in Nigeria to investigate the owner(s) of the bank account(s) into which the alleged N458 million bribe was paid into.

Agbaso, who made the appeal at a press conference in his Emekuku, Owerri North Local Government Area country home, also said he had not resigned and did not have any intention to resign.

According to him, 'at no point did I convey to Joseph Dina of JPROS Company, via SMS to pay into any account, any bank, any sum of money. This story is intended to malign my person. The onus is on the investigating agencies to look at these accounts. N458 million is not N458,000.'

He insisted that N458b million cannot just vanish like that, adding that the security agencies should not only look for the money but also trace it.

He noted: 'The money must be there. If it is not there, they (security agencies) can put a tracer on the money. It can be traced to the last account that it went.  If they can forensically check, they can follow the money into the pocket of who took the money.'

He maintained his innocence, saying: 'I never asked for this money. I never received this money and I do not have anything to do with this money. Imo people massively and freely gave me their mandate. I owe them. It is a known fact that the media is awash with the current stories of the goings on in Imo State.

'At no point in time have I resigned as Deputy Governor of Imo. I never resigned. I do not intend to resign and I will continue to serve the people of Imo State as long as their mandate subsists.

'On the issue that I am being impeached by Imo State House of Assembly, on the allegation by a construction company that I received bribe money to the tune of N458 million, at no point in time did I demand N458 million or any sum of money from any contractor whatsoever and at no time did Joseph Dina of JPROS pay me N458 million as claimed.'