Apc Tasks Okowa To Clear Air On Alleged Diverted $10m Hijacked By Mistress

BEVERLY HILLS, January 31, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta state, has condemned the alleged diversion of $10m by one of the South-South governors through a US-based mistress, stressing that it would be most most cruel and disgraceful if the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, is the one involved in the scandal.

The money, said to be part of bailout funds released by the Federal Government to states, was highjacked by the Texas US-based actress, who hails from the Ika-speaking area of Delta State, while the Governor purportly attempted to use her to launder the $10m into slush accounts in order to avoid detection by security agencies.

But in a statement by its Acting Publicity Secretary, Engr. Leonard Obibi, Delta APC called on the Governor to come out and clear the air on the scandalous fleecing of the wealth of Delta state as well as the purported misappropriation of N48.6bn Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, funds

The statement reads that the APC “received with shock the news from various media organizations concerning an alleged diversion by one of the South-South governors of the sum of $10m from the bailout funds released by the Federal Government which has been hijacked by his America-based mistress.

“However, the online and social media channels have pointedly revealed that Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State is the culprit in this hideous matter; and that it is Governor Okowa that commissioned and connived with his mistress, who is an actress that hails from the Ika-speaking area of Delta State and based in Texas U.S.A., to launder the $10m into slush accounts in order to avoid detection by security agencies.

“This is the reason why President Buhari directed that the bailout funds and the London-Paris Club loan refunds to all states be monitored, as these monies are principally meant to relieve the burden of outstanding debt to workers and pensioners.

“According to the report, “the money in question has been traced”, as it was allegedly wired or hauled in tranches in order to beat the nation's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

“Recently, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirmed that 16 states are yet to disburse about N57.6 billion of the bailout funds.

“The Governor is said to be nervous and furious having discovered that he has been duped and defrauded by his mistress, and that ‘the diversion of the looted $10m by the mistress created an uproar that triggered the ongoing investigation of the deal between the love birds’. The essence of the investigation is to unravel this mystery and possibly recover the funds.

“We hope that it is not true that the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is the one involved; but, if it is established that he is implicated, then it is most cruel, manipulative and disgraceful for Governor Okowa to debase himself so callously, and to have acted in a manner that is so 'criminal' and morally unjust.”

Delta APC requested the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to use this investigation to uncover other possible covert misappropriation by Okowa, adding that he was yet to respond to a recent allegation that he, allegedly, misappropriated N48.6bn from the statutory allocation due to DESOPADEC, being half of the 13 per cent derivation funds that accrued to the state from May 2015 to November 2016.

According to Obibi, “It is obvious to Deltans that under Governor Okowa's PDP-led government and indeed, all previous PDP-led administrations, Delta State has nosedived in all ramifications: economically, educationally and in the quality of its infrastructure, leaving the state impoverished and left behind on several development indices.

“Even Delta State government workers and aged pensioners who have long been weeping and wailing over non-payment of their salaries and pensions have not been spared; and they have been protesting incessantly for release of their salaries and pensions.

“In the midst of such extreme insensitivity to the plight of Deltans, it is awful and disgusting to be reminded of the looting of Delta State treasury which cabals in previous PDP-led administrations visited upon the innocent people of Delta State.

“We now have every cause to worry that the looting of Delta State treasury has become another recurring decima with this Okowa PDP-led government.

“Given the gravity of the allegations, we call on Governor Okowa to step into the open and clear the air on this scandalous fleecing of the wealth of Deltans, including the reported misappropriation of N48.6billion DESOPADEC funds.

“We, APC Delta State, roundly condemn this damnable fraud on the people of Delta State, and demand that the EFCC does everything to bring the culprits to book immediately.

“Deltans are eager and waiting. Nigeria is waiting,” the statement concluded.