Elder statesman in Delta State, Chief Edwin Clark, has beseeched the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for allegedly embezzling N1 trillion of the 13 per cent oil derivation fund of the state.
Clark made the allegation during an interview with Arise TV breakfast programme, ‘the morning show’ on Wednesday, 14th June. He stated that former Governor has embezzled the states money without giving account for it.
The said 13 per cent derivation fund comes from the federation account to oil-producing communities through state governments as contained in section 162 (2) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to Clark, Okowa said he spent N5 billion, paying pensioners of the state.
His words, “He (Okowa) said he had been spending the money. The answer they gave me was that they spent N5 billion on paying pensioners. How does that come under 13 percent? “And they also spent the money building a university in Okowa’s village.”
Clark also mentioned that he wrote a letter to Okowa and copied the EFCC alleging that the ex-governor ran a private commercial bank, Premium Bank, which he allegedly used to lodge all the derivation funds.
He said: “I also mentioned in the letter that he (Okowa) has 13 companies. I told him he put the 13 percent (derivation funds) into these 13 companies and let him deny it.” “So, Okowa has embezzled our money. It’s not even accounted for in his annual budget.”
Reacting to the accusations, Okowa through the commissioner of information under his administration, Charles Aniagwu, said they is no truth in the accusation, adding that, Clark is influenced by his political affiliations and views, noting that it affects his judgment and sentiments.
He said: “Everything he (Clark) mentioned in that interview is not the true position of things. When you have 13 percent derivation coming into an oil-producing state, that is part of the revenue they use in running the state.
“It is not 13 percent for oil-producing communities. It is for the state; otherwise, we would have elevated it to the level of oil-producing families.”
