EFCC Begins Investigation On Obasanjo’s Petition Against Daniel

Leadership (Abuja)

Wisdom Patrick and Edegbe Odemwingie

28 April 2011

Lagos and Abuja — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced investigation of Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, following a petition earlier filed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

A source from the EFCC told LEADERSHIP yesterday in Lagos, that the development was sequel a fresh petition forwarded to the Chairman of EFCC, Farida Waziri, by a group, ‘Integrity Group of Ogun State Descendants’ (IGOD), who are calling on Daniel to account for his eight years in office as the state’s chief executive officer.

It was gathered the petition was dated April 5 and was allegedly received at the EFCC corporate office on April 16.

According to the source, the group had in the petition dated April 5, accused the governor of mismanaging N31bn.

Part of the money, the group alleged, was from the state’s internally generated revenue, allocation from the Federal Government and money meant for the Local Government Councils in the State.

The 37-page petition, LEADERSHIP gathered, was signed by Obasanjo, who is the grand-patron of the group, while the Speaker House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, is said to be a trustee.

The petition is said to be a reminder to an earlier one, solely written and forwarded to the anti-graft agency by Obasanjo in November last year, which Daniel was said to have responded to and dismissed describing it as wild and unfounded.

Daniel was said to have alleged that the former president was not in touch with the realities in the state. “I think Obasanjo needs to examine himself very well. I am not afraid of EFCC or whatsoever, they would not eat me up there, they would only investigate and by the time they finish their work without finding anything incriminating on me, wouldn’t Obasanjo be disgraced and disappointed?” Daniel had told an official of the EFCC in January this year.

Meanwhile, the EFCC may rescind its earlier plea bargaining arrangement with the sacked former chief executive officer of the Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola.

A source at the agency told LEADERSHIP that what Akingbola planned to refund was a far cry from what he took away from the bank. EFCC had alleged that the former bank chief diverted N346.18bn and another £925,649.58, adding that this was only the amount which the agency could trace to his various proxy accounts, both within and outside the country.

Akingbola, according to his lawyer, has offered to return only N23bn to the bank, but the EFCC source said that the deal might not go through as the embattled former bank chief had anticipated.

“We may not be favourably disposed to that arrangement. He must face the court of law, he first ran away to London in the wee hour of his exposure and while in self exile, was busy bashing EFCC, calling us several unprintable names, we want to prove our allegation in the court,” the source said.

EFCC’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, stated in a telephone interview that Akingbola was already in court and would have to face the law to regain his freedom or convicted.

He neither denied nor confirmed the plea bargain package but added that the agency would be willing to see the guilty punished according to the law.

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