Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has revealed that it is investigating Imo state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, and some other Nigerians of graft. Okorocha is currently having a faceoff with his party, APC, after INEC refused giving him his certificate of return for the Imo West Senatorial district election after he was declared winner.
Magu in the interview with Channels TV, said Okorocha and some other Nigerians are currently being investigated. Asked if an investigation is ongoing regarding the governor, Magu responded definitely. ‘’Of course, we are doing a couple of checks and investigations here and there. We are investigating almost everybody”.
He noted that the commission has to get to a certain level before it can disclose any information about an ongoing investigation.
The EFCC boss said although he was aware of reports of the investigation on the social media, the details the anti-graft agency has was different from what was in the public space. He, however, declined to disclose it.
Concerned Nigerians have continued to react over the EFCC investigation of Okorocha. However, one thing that is certain is that he still enjoys immunity as governor until, May 29, when he will step down as governor. The implication is that until that time he remains free from arrest or prosecution by EFCC in the interim.
Some commentators said the problem they have with this ‘APC’s EFCC is that they only investigate the opposition. What about the likes of Amaechi et al? Very selective, said another.
News Critic reports that Okorocha is having running battle with his party, APC, to the extent that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, withheld his certificate of return as a senator-elect. In his state Imo state, he is having problems even with the governor-elect, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. As it seems, Okorocha has come to the end of the road politically.
Okorocha has had a difficult relationship with the national chairman of ruling APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, since the conduct of the party’s primary elections on October 2018.
The governor wanted his former chief of staff and son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, to succeed him as the next governor of the state. His son-in-law, however, lost the APC ticket to contest as the governorship candidate of the party to senator Hope Uzodinma, representing Orlu senatorial district of the state.
This crisis within the party in Imo state led to the defection of Nwosu to the Action Alliance (AA) under which platform he contested and lost to Ihedioha of the PDP.
The Imo governor was to be suspended by the APC for anti-party activities. Meanwhile the INEC had withdrawn its earlier declaration of Okorocha as winner of Imo West senatorial seat, saying it was done under duress.
However, on May 15, 2019 Okorocha filed two separate fundamental rights enforcement suits and accused Oshiomhole and other leaders of the party of conspiracy aimed at getting the EFCC to arrest and detain him.
