Governors should account for security votes, say stakeholders

• NACAT demands probe of alleged mismanaged N700b in Akwa-Ibom

Contrary to the belief by many Nigerians that governors are not supposed to account for security votes, anti-corruption stakeholders have taken a different dimension, insisting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) are supposed to make every state governor account for the security votes allocated to them in office.

The argument is coming just as the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) stormed the cooperate headquarters of the EFCC yesterday, demanding a probe into security votes allocated to current and past governors.

In a petition tabled before the anti-graft agency, NACAT noted that it has painstakingly investigated and audited many of the financial records of the states available it, particularly that of Akwa-Ibom State, and discovered wanton corruption and embezzlement of public funds in 2018 alone and decided to hand over the matter to the EFCC, as the government agency empowered by law to look into economic and financial crimes for further investigation and prosecution.

According to NACAT’s Operations Manager, Stanley Ugagbe, over N3 trillion was allocated to the Akwa Ibom State under the eight years tenure of Emmanuel Udom, but a staggering sum of N700 billion was diverted, in addition to over N500 billion borrowed to undertake futile projects across the state.
He informed the commission that over N4.5 billion was withdrawn and claimed to be given to security agencies in a space of six months, adding that over N10 billion was spent in just 2018 as security votes.

in addition to the withdrawals of a total of N4.7 billion from the Office of the Governor of Akwa Ibom into a Wema Bank account number 0122882810.
Reacting to the development, an anti-corruption expert, Light Shedrack, insisted that leaders are supposed to be accountable to the people who elected them into office.

However, the media aide to a former governor, Stephen Abia, dismissed the allegation, describing it as baseless.He said the petition was the handiwork of the enemy of the former governor, stressing that records were available to prove the achievements of his boss during his tenure.

Abia, who said that the allegation does not hold water, pointed out that his principal ruled the state with transparency, observing due process in all his dealings as governor. According to him, most of the allegations are frivolous and unfounded.

The media aide, while describing the petition as trash, which should not be reckoned with, said those who wrote it had no good record, and are known for their notorious activities.