Alleged N1.3trn Fraud: I’m not afraid of EFCC probe – Okowa

Former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said he is not afraid of his ongoing probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding an alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion during his tenure.

Mr Okowa stated this during an interview with Arise News on Tuesday.

He defended his administration, stating that he performed very well while in office for eight years.

“I did well for the people of the state. Petitions can be written by anybody, but whatever petitions are written, the right of investigation is with the EFCC. So, there are no fears concerning that at all,” he said.

The EFCC is probing Mr Okowa, who was also the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, for allegedly misappropriating N1.3 trillion between 2015 and 2023 when he presided over the oil-rich state. .

He is also accused of failing to properly account for an additional N40 billion purportedly used to acquire an eight per cent equity stake in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

The former governor allegedly used state funds to purchase significant shares in one of the country’s major banks as part of the LNG deal.

The EFCC arrested him on 4 November 2024, but he was later released after submitting his international passport.

Mr Okowa has since denied the allegations, describing it as “malicious and politically-motivated.” He said some individuals were attempting to distort facts to serve their interests.

Defection to the APC

Last Wednesday, Mr Okowa, alongside his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, commissioners, local government chairpersons and PDP leaders in the state defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Political analysts suggested that the defection may be part of a deal with the ruling party to stop the former governor’s probe by the EFCC.

It is not clear what the next action of the anti-graft agency will be.

Regret over vice presidential bid

During the interview, Mr Okowa also recounted how he was controversially accepted to be a running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 election.

“Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power. But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people,” he said.

The former governor noted that despite the controversy, the people of Delta State supported him and the PDP at the state level out of loyalty and recognition of his performance.

“That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen. And they did,” he said.

When asked about his current relationship with Atiku, Mr Okowa said he had communicated his discomfort with the PDP to Atiku and also hinted that he (Atiku) might be on his way out of the party.

“I actually did communicate with him that we were going to have stakeholders meetings this week ( last week) and that it was going to be a leadership meeting, and the outcome of that meeting was going to determine our next path because we were no longer comfortable with the PDP.

“And I also know that he is already heading out of the PDP from the communications he has passed on to me and that Nigerians know already.”

Political journey

Mr Okowa, 66, had been a PDP faithful since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

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He served as commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, water resources development and later health in the PDP administration of former Governor James Ibori. He later served as the secretary to the state government under former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Mr Okowa, a medical doctor, moved to the centre in 2011 when he became the senator for the Delta North Senatorial District. In 2015, he became the third democratically elected governor of the state since 1999. He was the first governor of Anioma stock (Igbo-speaking people) to rule the state.

As a member of the PDP, he once served as the chairman of the party’s national convention planning committee.