Information available to 247ureports.com through principal sources within the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA] party in Abuja indicates that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] arrested and detained three national executive members over charges of misapproipriating N2.6billion of party funds.
Among the arrested were, the National Secretary, Dr. Shinkafi, National Treasurer, and the Deputy[Assistant] National Treasurer. A source in APGA indicated that the National Chairman was also arrested but the National Chairman, Chief Umeh has denied being arrested but noted that he will honor the invitation of the EFCC should they invite him. The National Secretary has also denied being arrested by the EFCC in a phone chat with 247ureports.com. He claimed he was in Kano for a wedding over the weekend.
According to the information received, the EFCC having received a 12-point charge petition against the APGA National Chairman and his Executive members from a group within APGA purportedly sponsored by the Governor Peter Obi, moved to arrest the APGA Executives on Friday September 23, 2011 and released on Saturday September 24, 2011 at 1:30pm after 12 hours of interrogation. As gathered, the EFCC’s inquiry concerned the manner funds are disbursed by the party executives. Sources indicate that the EFCC is gathering a case against the Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh.
But there appears a discrepancy in the supposed EFCC arrest. The EFCC spokesman, Femi Babafemi when contacted told 247ureports.com that he is not aware of any arrests made recently by the EFCC. He noted that he will need to verify if there were arrests made of the APGA officials – and that it was unlikely an arrest was made. A source within the EFCC spokeman’s office however contradicts the spokeman’s statement – stating that the spokeman was only relaying what the Chairwoman of EFCC wants related to the public. The source confirmed that some national executive members of APGA were in the custody of EFCC from Friday to Saturday. He did not disclose their identities.
The EFCC source continued to state that the APGA National Chairman was asked by the EFCC investigators to return to the EFCC office on Tuesday/Wednesday with certain documents that the EFCC has requested from him. He was requested to return with his tax documents, proof of income, APGA bank documents snd other document showing his source of incomes and the manner the party’s funds was expended. The 12-point petition had charged the national executives, in particular, the National Chairman of pocketing the monies collected from the sale of party nomination forms during the period leading up to the general elections of 2011.
But close colleagues of the APGA Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh who spoke in defense of the Chairman noted that the Chairman was innocent of the charge but added that there were monies in the custody of the party that later grew invisible legs and disappeared. They confirmed that there were monies unaccounted for.
The new development comes amidst growing turmoil within the APGA – as the Governor’s of Anambra State [Peter Obi] and Imo State [Rochas Okorocha] have intensified a push to remove Victor Umeh from the seat of Chairman.
Stay tuned
I have read the report and I have started wondering why APGA wants to allow the non party members to destroy the good work Sir Victor has done in APGA.If Peter Obi wants to fool himself based on his selfish interest,I will like to take him down the memory lane.He should think how he got himself after impeachment if not because of Sir Victor. Igbos should think twice and leave Sir Victor Umeh and his exco’s alone.
Why the hasty dispute as to whether Chief Victor Umeh and co were arrested or not? This budding problem was how Chief Chekwas Okorie’s travails started in APGA and mirrors what transpires in other political parties in Nigeria in their internal power struggle. The thrust of the present sanitization or reformation exercise, in my view, should be the earnest effort to position APGA as a party of reckon in Nigeria. Where such attempt uproots sticky finger leaders, they should be cast aside. However, the fire brigade approach through which investigations are carried out in Nigeria usually result in truth being swept under the rug as bribes and appeasement of external investigative agencies thwart an effort that ought to be democratically and procedurally internal. The timing seems right as the party would have a somewhat enough time to heal from foreseeable bruises and wounds arising from the sanitization exercise. Any further hemorrhaging in APGA would weaken the party for which her members would be alienated, disheartened and disoriented.
Why the hasty dispute as to whether Chief Victor Umeh and co were arrested or not? This budding problem was how Chief Chekwas Okorie’s travails started in APGA. It equally mirrors what transpires in other political parties in Nigeria in their internal power struggle. The thrust of the present effort, in my view, should be the earnest determination to position APGA as a party of reckon in Nigeria. Where such attempt uproots sticky finger leaders, they should be cast aside. However, the fire brigade approach through which investigations are carried out in Nigeria usually result in truth being swept under the rug as bribes and appeasement of external investigative agencies thwart an effort that ought to be democratically and procedurally internal. The timing seems right as the party would have a somewhat enough time to heal from foreseeable bruises and wounds arising from the exercise. Any further hemorrhaging in APGA would weaken the party for which her members would be alienated, disheartened and disoriented.