Corruption: Delta Youths Drag Gov Uduaghan To EFCC As Request For His Impeachment Forces Assembly Into Abrupt Adjournment
Delta State was on Tuesday afternoon thrown into tumult after a strong petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan alleging corruption running into trillions of Naira went viral in Asaba, the state capital.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan
It was the work of the Delta State Youth Forum for Good Governance (DSYFGG), led by its President, Comrade Prince Kpokpogri, demanding the immediate prosecution of Governor Uduaghan by the commission.
In another petition addressed to the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Peter Onwusayan, the group called on the Assembly to commence immediate processes for the impeachment of the governor. That petition forced the house into an abrupt adjournment.
The first petition, a copy of which was obtained by SaharaReporters, was titled, “Re: Petition For Immediate Prosecution Of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan “Governor Of Delta State” For The Looting Of Delta State Treasury Since 2007-2014 (A Call For A Dispassionate Investigation and Prosecution),” and was signed by Mr. P.O. Edjor Esq. on behalf of the group.
The complaint warned that the act of monstrously and fraudulently milking the state treasury and impoverishing the poor people of Delta State must stop.
“We also need to save our state and country from the local and international embarrassment if our crusade against corruption must be taken seriously because all hands must be on deck to assist to save Nigeria from both economic and political problems it's presently faces,” it said.
“It is the firm brief of our client that our team of lawyers petitioned the Accountant General's office, Abuja in other for them to furnish us with all detailed documents/information as to the Delta State revenue allocation from the federation account since 2007 till date which they religiously responded in good faith. What is more surprising is that despite the gargantuan amount of monies accrue from the federation allocation account and from our sense of arithmetic calculus, the total amount of money from 2007 to 2014 is running over a whopping sum of N4.7 Trillion with little or nothing to show for it.
The petition noted that the outstanding question is whether or not all of the allocations received so far from the federation's account were in any way “commensurate with the infrastructural under-development or whether the Delta state government is now a vehicle to loot and entrench undemocratic tendencies.”
According to the petitioner, “We have a governor who single handedly ruled a state for seven years and still counting without conducting elections into the local government areas. He has spent millions of naira in setting up the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) and yet has refused to allow them conduct elections into the various local government areas. What this simply means is that he has been pocketing the billions of naira allocated to these local governments in the state from the federation allocations' account.
“Here is a man who came to the government house very wretched becoming a billionaire overnight through the loot from the Delta state treasury. Simply put, Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan remains the worst governor in the whole South-South region and a looter per excellence and we humbly urge your esteemed office to expedite action in the investigation and persecution of the Governor of Delta State, in the person of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan for no man is above the laws of the land.”
The second petition was titled “Re: Request For The Impeachment Of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, Governor Of Delta State Over A Case Of Corrupt Practices And The Looting Of Delta State Treasury Since 2007 Till Date.”
The petition, signed by Comrade Kpokpogri, and a copy of which was also obtained by SaharaReporters, demanded commencement of immediate processes for the impeachment of Governor Uduaghan right away.
A startling heap of petitions, backed up with certified documents from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, addressed to various bodies and brought to the Assembly complex in a 'Ghana Must Go' bag was distributed to the 29 members of the Assembly on the floor of the House immediately compelled its adjournment and drove the principal into a long, closed-door meeting.
The petition for the impeachment of Uduaghan and other petitions were copied to:
President Goodluck Jonathan
Senate President
Speaker of the House of Representatives
National chairman of PDP
National Security Adviser
Delta state PDP chairman
AIG Zone 5, Benin City, and
Delta State Commissioner of Police
A member of DSYFGG, Chief Uche Luke Okpunor, explained that the Youth Forum only wanted to draw formal attention to the grievous milking of the Delta State treasury and impoverishment of the people of Delta State, and thus to save the state from the Uduaghan dynasty.
“What is more surprising is that despite the gargantuan amount of monies accrue from the federation allocation account and from our sense of arithmetic calculus, the total amount of money from 2007 to 2014 is running over a whopping sum of N4.7 Trillion with little or nothing to show for it.
“The question begging for an answer is whether or not this whole allocation gotten so far from the federation's account is commensurate with the infrastructural under-development or whether the Delta state government is now a vehicle to loot and entrench undemocratic tendencies.”
He stressed that Uduaghan has for over seven years ruled single-handedly without conducting elections into the local government councils.
He has spent millions of Naira in setting up the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) and yet has refused to allow them conduct elections into the various local government areas.
“What this simply means is that he has been pocketing the billions of Naira allocated to these local governments in the state from the federation allocations' account.
“Here is a man who came to the government house very wretched becoming a billionaire overnight through the loot from the Delta state treasury. Simply put, Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan remains the worst governor in the whole South-South region and a looter per excellence.”
He described Uduaghan as a “fraudulent and rogue” governor who has been running a corrupt government since he took over power on May 29th, 2007.
“Mr. Speaker sir, believe me when I say I write this letter with pain, real pain that pricks my heart like adding salt to an earthworm. Ever since I was armed with these documents/information about my state I automatically developed cold feet and sleepless night. For it is a crime against humanity to die in the state of oblivion and God forbid us to be one?
“Furthermore, we make bold to state that as members of Delta State Youth Forum for Good Governance (DSYFGG), do hereby pass a vote of no confidence on our governor “Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan” and as well call on the members of the House of Assembly to serve him with a notice of impeachment within the next 7 days from the receipt of this letter to the hallowed chamber.”
The forum warned that if the House failed to carry out its request, the group would have no option but to seek legal redress in a competent court of law.
A notification also obtained by SaharaReporters, signed by the President and members of the DSYFGG, said the forum has concluded all necessary arrangement to stage a peaceful rally against Governor Uduaghan in Abuja metropolis on October 7 to call for justice over what it described as “The wanton looting from the state treasury of Delta state Nigeria.” It was addressed to the office of the DIG, Force CID Area 10, Abuja; the National chairman of the PDP, the National Security Adviser, EFCC, and ICPC.
SaharaReporters further learned that members of the House were highly elated with the development, and that the petitions needed to be maintained kept secretly was allowed to be distributed to members to the glaring of everybody at the Assembly gallery during session.
It was further learned that the Speaker who enjoys cordial relations with Uduaghan, who imposed him on the legislators in that office, has since reached out to his boss about the stunning developments. He is also said to have vowed not to allow any debate of the matter or commence the demanded impeachment processes against the governor, whom he has always described as an achiever.
Phone calls to the Speaker were being ignored as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, all the petitions on the alleged corrupt practices against Governor Uduaghan are currently in wide circulation throughout Delta State.
It would be recalled that Uduaghan's cousin and predecessor, James Ibori, was jailed in the United Kingdom on account of his looting and money-laundering activities during his tenure.