EFCC goes after ex Ebonyi legislators

As the relationship between Governor David Umahi and his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi continues to worsen, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has barred its fangs against members of the immediate past Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

Investigation by The Guardian reveal that despite public pronouncements by Governor Umahi that he would not probe or witch-hunt the former governor, for the chief reason that he was part of the administration, the state government has unleashed anti-graft agencies on prominent members of the past regime.

The move against the state lawmakers is believed to be part of the ongoing shadow political battle between the incumbent and his predecessor over the 2015 election, in which Elechi opted to support the former Health minister, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, instead of his then deputy, Umahi.

On the occasion of his 75th birthday anniversary, Elechi had told his guests that he was being restricted to his hometown, pointing out that he has been traveling to and from Abuja to answer questions from EFCC operatives on some 54 petitions by phoney authors.

Former members of the State House of Assembly, who have been invited by the EFCC to report at the Southeast zonal office of the commission, were allegedly advised to come along with a level 12 officer in the civil service or persons with landed property in the area of jurisdiction.

Though the EFCC did not disclose the offences or crimes for which the legislators are being investigated, sources said the matter was not unrelated to the prosecution of constituency projects by the former legislators.

In the letters sighted by The Guardian dated March 22, 2016, with reference number CE/3000/EFCC/EN/Vol.16/054 and signed by the Zonal Head, Ohioha Okorie, the lawmakers were informed that “this commission is investigating a case in which the need to seek certain clarifications from you has become imperative.”
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