By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
Former governor of Ebonyi State Martin Elechi, yesterday,
spent many hours in the hands of Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission’s interrogators to clear himself of
allegations that he made away with millions of state funds
during his eight-year tenure.
As hard as he tried to prove his innocence of the myriad of
financial impropriety levelled against him, the EFCC
confronted him with more accusations forcing him to spend
more than he expected with the investigators, who were
armed with facts and figures about his administration.
Although Elechi arrived the EFCC headquarters at 10 am he
was still being quizzed is currently at the headquarters of
the EFCC, where he is being grilled by a team of
investigators, probing allegations of financial malpractices
during his tenure as governor of the state.
He was questioned over the theft of millions of naira in the
asphalt contract for the 13 Local Government Secretariats
and Headquarters.
He was confronted with the fact that although his
administration deducted money from the 13 LGAs, the
asphalt plants have only been executed in six of the
councils. Besides, he was questioned on why the contract
was given to his son, Elechi Nnanna Elechi.
The former governor was also taken to task over the huge
sum earmarked for the centenary celebration. Towards the
celebration, a supervisory committee under the
Commissioner for Local Government, Nwali, deducted the
sum of N1 million from each of the 13 LG areas for the
purchase and production of T-Shirts for the celebration but
there was no evidence of T-shirts produced for the
celebration.
Elechi was also asked to explain what he knew about
issues arising from deductions from stabilization fund
account of the state government for the financing of Labour
party.
A concerned indigene of the state had in a petition told the
EFCC that the governor Martin Elechi awarded contract to
his family company managed by his son Nnanna. Contracts
from the state and local government running into millions of
naira which remain un-executed a month after the governor
vacated Government House, Abakalaiki.
The anti-graft agency had previously invited and
interrogated the permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of
Works to answer questions while the trio of Igbele,
Accountant General; Timothy Ogbonnaya Odaa,
Commissioner for Finance, and Honourable Celestine Nwali,
Commissioner for Local government and Chieftaincy
Matters, had also being quizzed by operatives of the EFCC.
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