Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi has said his administration will write to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) to probe the eight years of his predecessor, Martin Elechi, over alleged financial fraud, contract inflation and other financial recklessness.
There has been an unhealthy face-off between Elechi and Umahi since the 2015 election.
Umahi, who was Elechi’s Deputy for four years, parted ways with his boss shortly before the build up to 2015 general election when Elechi refused to honour his alleged promise of handing over to him as his successor.
He ran the governorship position of the state against the will of the ex-governor Martin Elechi and snatched PDP structure from him and emerged the governor.
Elechi has already defected to the APC and was said to have petitioned the EFCC against Umahi on the activities of the governor’s administration.
He is said to be among the political bigwigs fighting against the $150million loan being sought by the state government for construction of over 198km road, across eight out of the thirteen local government areas of the state.
But addressing journalists in his office at the weekend, Umahi said he has taken enough show from the former governor and his followers whom he described as enemies of the state.
His words: “I have decided to probe the Elechi eight years administration. I will probe his administration and I will publish the findings on the pages of newspapers. Enough of his show-offs.
“He has committed unpardonable financial fraud in the state, very unpardonable and he has the mouth to talk. I know there was a petition he wrote against me. I am going to write EFCC to come and probe every bit of that petition.
“Elechi did not pay pension and severance allowances. It is by human feeling that I pay Elechi his pension, he doesn’t deserves to receive pension because he didn’t pay others and then you were not paid for one month and you started crying everywhere.
“The same Elechi did not pay his good friend Ogbonnaya Onu.
“A law was made by former Speaker of the State House of Assembly Chief Augustine Nwankwegu who is here with us. The law was made to pay him (Onu) pension and I remember one day I was in Elechi’s office and the Speaker was there. They asked him this pension what do we do and the Speaker said it is in your hands. Elechi told him not to talk about pension again.
“Now Onu and Elechi are friends, parleying but we are not distracted. We came on the platform of God, we came on the fear of God and there is no place in Ebonyi state that you will not see work going.
“What we have already done is enough to give us second tenure and whether the loan comes or not, I am committed to that ring road and it will be done.”
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