It is obvious that the storm that swept off the former deputy governor of Imo “Mr Jude Agbaso” is about to claim its next set of victims, this is because on Wednesday the EFCC arrested the State’s Commissioner for Finance, Okafor John, and the Accountant-General, Eche George over the same issue and as at the time of filing this report, it is uncertain if they have been released.
It is believed that the arrest followed petitions written against them in connection with the over N1bn construction contract awarded to JPROS International Limited.
Ever since the impeachment of the deputy Governor, words and accusations have been flying around with speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly Mr Benjamin Uwajumogu alleging that the PDP National Vice Chairman, South-East, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd.), offered him N3bn to facilitate the impeachment of Okorocha.
By in a swift reaction to the allegation, the Special Adviser to the South-East PDP National Vice Chairman, Osita Igbe, replied that the allegation fits into an emerging picture of politics in Imo State since April 2011, and that politics in Imo State has ever since been based on dishonourable propaganda and flagrant disregard for the truth.
The party (PDP) on Thursday also alleged that the allegation was “infantile, irresponsible and disingenuous.”
Their statement read “Assuming that such a plot even existed, there is no chance that Col. Akobundu, a former military officer, who knows the value of loyalty, would entrust it to a political turncoat like Uwajumogu.”
For those not conversant with genesis of the scandal that has shown the sorry state of Politics and Administration of Government in Imo State, here is a brief recap:
Hon member representing Orsu state constituency and chairman joint state/local Government projects in the plenary sitting of the house imo state house of assembly on Wednesday 20th February 2013 on the progress or otherwise, made so far on the execution of the roads contracts awarded to some contractors in the state. He reported on the slow pace of work by both Messes JPROS international Nig Ltd and Timik constitution Company in owerri and Orlu Municipalities respectively. In his View the under listed roads can be deemed as being abandoned by the contractors after collecting over 100% payment.
The projects includes
- A Ware-house Orlu Road Junction
- Odunze Aba Road
- Amaigbo Street to Old Nekede Road
- Dualization of Orlu Main Town
As a result of this, the Hon. Speaker constituted a six man special Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate and report back on Tues 24th Feb 2013.
During executing their assignment, the committee members invited Joseph Dina, a Lebanese, and boss of JPROS appeared before it, he alleged that Mr Jude Agbaso took a bribe to the tune of N458 million out of N1.5billion paid to him for a road contract. He gave details of bank account numbers sent to him by Agbaso to pay in. Contractor Dina paid the sum of N325 million into the GTB Account of Three Brother’s Concept Ltd and used same to raise the sum of 1,930,000 US Dollars (One Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty Dollars). It was transferred to Dina, through Dubai, on February 21, 2012.
The account number it was transferred to was Liz 550014000023 02300179018010 domiciled with Kaslike branch of Blom Bank Sal, Lebanon. The second payment of N133,000,000 (One hundred and thirty three million Naira) was paid into the IHSAN BDG Ltd’s Account No: 101533498 domiciled with UBA by Contractor Dina. This amount was used to raise US $800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars) and transferred to Dina’s Account No: AE60200003 6374395130 with HSBC Middle East Ltd, Dubai Internet City, Sheik Zayed Rd Dubai. He also revealed the shareholders and Directors of the company.
How this scandal plays out is left to the imagination, what is most important is that; at the end of this process, the Imo people should be the better for it.