Use repatriated money on projects in Delta, UPU, others tell FG

The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has faulted Federal Government’s decision to use the £4.2m (about N2.2b), being part of former Delta State Governor, James Ibori’s loot to be repatriated to Nigeria on the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan road.

It argued that the money should rather be spent on projects in Delta State, being the owner of the fund, describing Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami’s disclosure that the money would be used for projects outside Delta as unacceptable.

In a statement yesterday, Presidential-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga, condemned the decision saying: “The Federal Government should use the money to rehabilitate the Delta part of the Benin-Warri road, failed portions of the East West Road in Delta and fund the Federal University of Petroleum, Effurun.

“The money belongs to Delta State and it should not be spent on projects outside Delta, while most Federal Government assets and roads in Delta are crying for attention. We are not saying the money must be returned to the Delta State Government, but it should be spent on projects within the state.”

Besides, former President of Igbo Socio-cultural group, Aka Ikenga, Goddy Uwazurike, said the Delta State government and other stakeholders should not join issues with the Federal Government over the issue, but challenge the decision in court.

Uwazurike also decried the decision to spend the repatriated money on the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan Express Road.

Meanwhile, the League of Professionals for Strategic Advocacy also faulted Malami on the matter, saying it was wrong for him to unilaterally announce that the Federal Government had taken possession of the money and would use it to fund some projects in the country.

In a statement issued by its Convener, Prince Obaro Unuafe and Chairman, Pius Mordi, the group said Malami’s unilateral action was illegal, immoral and an attempt to misappropriate the commonwealth of Delta people.

The group insisted that it would sue the Federal Government, if it failed to return the money to Delta State, especially considering that another £100m might be repatriated from the sale of Ibori’s property in the United Kingdom.