FENRAD wants EFCC to investigate allegations and counter-allegations on corruption in Abia state

Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, not-for-profit, anti-corruption and human rights organization urges the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to look into the weighty claims and counterclaims that recently flooded the media and virtual spaces over the treasury and commonwealth of Abia state.

FENRAD – after sighting a media publication in an online news report dated September 3, 2020, by Afnews which obtained documents of suit filed by Ken Nwankwo and Associates, Solicitors and Advocates of the Supreme Court of Nigeria for their client, Hon. Obinna Ichita, member Abia House of Assembly, representing Aba south constituency against, against Mr. Obinna Oriaku, former Abia state commissioner for finance for making allegations against the House financing membership of which Obinna Ichita enjoys – believes that it has become relevantly ideal that these claims are thoroughly investigated.

In the publication, ex commissioner Oriaku alleges that Abia House of Assembly members receive each 3 million naira to pass state appropriation annually; that same receive each 9 to 10 million naira monthly as against the standard in Ebonyi where members receive each 1 million naira for take-home salary; that the state assembly is run with 140 million naira overhead cost on monthly basis as against Enugu state assembly which receives 36 million naira within the stipulated time. The revelation by Obinna Oriaku was made via zoom programme themed “The Uncessored Truth”. Even today, the ex commissioner had, as seen media reports, urged those who have and hold contrary claim(s) to join him in the said zoom programme for debate. While this is interesting, FENRAD sees it as unfortunately alarming!

An allegation like this should not be taken lightly until every detail of it is investigated and true reports or findings made. FENRAD believes that democracy does not thrive in an environment where claims of accountability and otherwise are not inquired into and the truth ascertained on the basis of merit.

In a related note, FENRAD also is aware of a blog post by ProfJays Blog on September 3 where a group known as Abia North Stakeholders Assembly in a rejoinder to Mr. Obinna Oriaku’s claim alleges that Obinna Oriaku, state former commissioner for information, is not guilty of what he accuses the state legislature and since his own hands are not clean should not come to equity. The group went further to state that while Obinna Oriaku was commissioner in charge of the “state’s exchequer” he remained silent only to come up with his claims after he was relieved of his commission. Obinna Oriaku, held the group, was just a banker and who after a stint of 4 year period (2015-2019) as a commissioner erected mansions in his Isialangwa home for 500 million naira and then another duplex in Enugu said to be worth about 700 million naira, all being achieved while he served as state commissioner for finance!

The most suspicious among the counteraccusations levelled by the Abia North Stakeholders Assembly was that for the period of years Mr. Oriaku was overseeing state finances, his own company solely audited various government’s agencies like University Teaching Hospital and others; that the former commissioner has many fronts through which state resources were siphoned while the masses starved. FENRAD demands to know the true state of things.

While FENRAD does not know if evaluators had costed his properties or whether same exist, a accountability demands that Obinna Oriaku be summoned before the anti-graft agency to throw more light to his claims while establishing, along that line, his innocence. Equally should the finances and financing of the state house be looked into. This becomes the more necessary given the position and place of the state in line with governance.

Recently, two former governors of the state and now serving senators were guests to the commission answering questions on allegations of corruption. FENRAD believes that the best in the interest of democracy is for a thorough investigation to be carried out by commission created by law to ensure that public officials do not go against the financial regulatory frameworks.

FENRAD is alarmed and demands justice bearing in mind that funds such as are claimed to have been diverted could be put into proper use like massive infrastructure, education, agriculture and payment of salaries, remunerations, pensions and perquisites of workers both active and retired. Again, financial discipline, prudence and accountability demands that no stone is left unturned in a matter as serious as this. This is why FENRAD calls for thorough investigation into this weighty claims and counterclaims on financial misappropriation on the part of the custodians of the state’s commonwealth and legislatures who are saddled with the constitutional roles of checking and checkmating the executive’s excess. We are left asking like Juvenal, the Roman poet, “Quis custodiet, iposos custodes?”, who will watch the watchers?.

Signed. Barr. Olusegun Bamgbose
Head Legal Team
FENRAD.