The immediate past governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, has described the N1.3 trillion oil derivation funds that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that he mismanaged while in office as puerile and preposterous.
The former governor said since his return from honouring the invitation of the Commission he had remained unperturbed.
He told the national leadership of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), led by its President-General, Chief Ese Owe, who accorded him a solidarity visit at his residence in Asaba, that he was confident that he would come out clean from the investigations by the anti-graft agency.
He maintained that the petitioners were driven by mundane political considerations. He made bold to say that, having served well for eight years as governor, he would continue to support his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to deliver on the mandate that produced him.
He said: “It was a petition written several months ago, but unfortunately, with the politics of our time some people decided to ensure that Okowa must be invited by EFCC.
“People are genuinely uncomfortable about Okowa and I was actually invited and I went there by myself and the first thing I saw was that they said I misappropriated N1.3 trillion and I said, do you know the kind of money you are talking about?
“To successfully take N1.3 trillion, it means you have to be taking between N16 billion and N20 billion every month into your pocket. I don’t even know if the President of this country will be able to do that, not to talk of the governor of Delta State.
“They have forgotten that the first in three years we came into office – 2015, 2016 and 2017 – the money that was coming into the state was not even enough to pay salaries at all.
“Some local governments like Ethiope East were owing as much as 15 months salaries and even in the state here some people were getting half salaries.”
Speaking further he said: “Personally, I am not against investigation because the EFCC has to do its job, and I know that I have done everything how it ought to be done.
“For every allegation, they will investigate, and when they have found the truth, they will stop, but for those who sent a wrong message, it is rather unfortunate.”
He commended the UPU for its support to him over the years, saying: “I thank the UPU and the Urhobos because they supported me a lot and they also believe in equity because I always got more votes from them than their sons who contested against me.”
The President-General of the Union said their visit was to thank him for supporting their son, the incumbent Governor Oborevwori, to emerge as his successor.
