Delta State was on Tuesday afternoon
thrown into tumult after a strong petition to
the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) against Governor
Emmanuel Uduaghan alleging corruption
running into trillions of Naira went viral in
Asaba, the state capital.
Delta State was on Tuesday afternoon thrown into
tumult after a strong petition to the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan alleging corruption
running into trillions of Naira went viral in Asaba, the state
capital.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan
It was the work of the Delta State Youth Forum for Good
Governance (DSYFGG), led by its President, Comrade Prince
Kpokpogri, demanding the immediate prosecution
of Governor Uduaghan by the commission.
In another petition addressed to the Speaker of the Delta
State House of Assembly, Mr. Peter Onwusayan, the group
called on the Assembly to commence immediate processes
for the impeachment of the governor. That petition forced
the house into an abrupt adjournment.
The first petition, a copy of which was obtained by
SaharaReporters, was titled, “Re: Petition For Immediate
Prosecution Of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan “Governor
Of Delta State” For The Looting Of Delta State Treasury
Since 2007-2014 (A Call For A Dispassionate Investigation
and Prosecution),” and was signed by Mr. P.O. Edjor Esq.
on behalf of the group.
The complaint warned that the act of monstrously and
fraudulently milking the state treasury and impoverishing
the poor people of Delta State must stop.
“We also need to save our state and country from the local
and international embarrassment if our crusade against
corruption must be taken seriously because all hands must
be on deck to assist to save Nigeria from both economic
and political problems it’s presently faces,” it said.
“It is the firm brief of our client that our team of lawyers
petitioned the Accountant General’s office, Abuja in other
for them to furnish us with all detailed documents/
information as to the Delta State revenue allocation from
the federation account since 2007 till date which they
religiously responded in good faith. What is more surprising
is that despite the gargantuan amount of monies accrue
from the federation allocation account and from our sense
of arithmetic calculus, the total amount of money from 2007
to 2014 is running over a whopping sum of N4.7 Trillion
with little or nothing to show for it.
The petition noted that the outstanding question is whether
or not all of the allocations received so far from the
federation’s account were in any way “commensurate with
the infrastructural under-development or whether the Delta
state government is now a vehicle to loot and entrench
undemocratic tendencies.”
According to the petitioner, “We have a governor who single
handedly ruled a state for seven years and still counting
without conducting elections into the local government
areas. He has spent millions of naira in setting up the Delta
State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) and yet
has refused to allow them conduct elections into the
various local government areas. What this simply means is
that he has been pocketing the billions of naira allocated to
these local governments in the state from the federation
allocations’ account.
“Here is a man who came to the government house very
wretched becoming a billionaire overnight through the loot
from the Delta state treasury. Simply put, Governor
Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan remains the worst governor in
the whole South-South region and a looter per excellence
and we humbly urge your esteemed office to expedite action
in the investigation and persecution of the Governor of Delta
State, in the person of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan for
no man is above the laws of the land.”
The second petition was titled “Re: Request For The
Impeachment Of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, Governor
Of Delta State Over A Case Of Corrupt Practices And The
Looting Of Delta State Treasury Since 2007 Till Date.”
The petition, signed by Comrade Kpokpogri, and a copy of
which was also obtained by SaharaReporters, demanded
commencement of immediate processes for the
impeachment of Governor Uduaghan right away.
A startling heap of petitions, backed up with certified
documents from the office of the Accountant General of the
Federation, addressed to various bodies and brought to the
Assembly complex in a ‘Ghana Must Go’ bag was
distributed to the 29 members of the Assembly on the floor
of the House immediately compelled its adjournment and
drove the principal into a long, closed-door meeting.
The petition for the impeachment of Uduaghan and other
petitions were copied to:
President Goodluck Jonathan
Senate President
Speaker of the House of Representatives
National chairman of PDP
National Security Adviser
Delta state PDP chairman
AIG Zone 5, Benin City, and
Delta State Commissioner of Police
A member of DSYFGG, Chief Uche Luke Okpunor, explained
that the Youth Forum only wanted to draw formal attention
to the grievous milking of the Delta State treasury and
impoverishment of the people of Delta State, and thus to
save the state from the Uduaghan dynasty.
“What is more surprising is that despite the gargantuan
amount of monies accrue from the federation allocation
account and from our sense of arithmetic calculus, the total
amount of money from 2007 to 2014 is running over a
whopping sum of N4.7 Trillion with little or nothing to show
for it.
“The question begging for an answer is whether or not this
whole allocation gotten so far from the federation’s account
is commensurate with the infrastructural under-
development or whether the Delta state government is now
a vehicle to loot and entrench undemocratic tendencies.”
He stressed that Uduaghan has for over seven years ruled
single-handedly without conducting elections into the local
government councils.
He has spent millions of Naira in setting up the Delta State
Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) and yet has
refused to allow them conduct elections into the various
local government areas.
“What this simply means is that he has been pocketing the
billions of Naira allocated to these local governments in the
state from the federation allocations’ account.
“Here is a man who came to the government house very
wretched becoming a billionaire overnight through the loot
from the Delta state treasury. Simply put, Governor
Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan remains the worst governor in
the whole South-South region and a looter per excellence.”
He described Uduaghan as a “fraudulent and rogue”
governor who has been running a corrupt government since
he took over power on May 29th, 2007.
“Mr. Speaker sir, believe me when I say I write this letter
with pain, real pain that pricks my heart like adding salt to
an earthworm. Ever since I was armed with these
documents/information about my state I automatically
developed cold feet and sleepless night. For it is a crime
against humanity to die in the state of oblivion and God
forbid us to be one?
“Furthermore, we make bold to state that as members of
Delta State Youth Forum for Good Governance (DSYFGG),
do hereby pass a vote of no confidence on our governor
“Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan” and as well call on the members
of the House of Assembly to serve him with a notice of
impeachment within the next 7 days from the receipt of this
letter to the hallowed chamber.”
The forum warned that if the House failed to carry out its
request, the group would have no option but to seek legal
redress in a competent court of law.
A notification also obtained by SaharaReporters, signed by
the President and members of the DSYFGG, said the forum
has concluded all necessary arrangement to stage a
peaceful rally against Governor Uduaghan in Abuja
metropolis on October 7 to call for justice over what it
described as “The wanton looting from the state treasury of
Delta state Nigeria.” It was addressed to the office of the
DIG, Force CID Area 10, Abuja; the National chairman of the
PDP, the National Security Adviser, EFCC, and ICPC.
SaharaReporters further learned that members of the House
were highly elated with the development, and that the
petitions needed to be maintained kept secretly was allowed
to be distributed to members to the glaring of everybody at
the Assembly gallery during session.
It was further learned that the Speaker who enjoys cordial
relations with Uduaghan, who imposed him on the
legislators in that office, has since reached out to his boss
about the stunning developments. He is also said to have
vowed not to allow any debate of the matter or commence
the demanded impeachment processes against the
governor, whom he has always described as an achiever.
Phone calls to the Speaker were being ignored as of the
time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, all the petitions on the alleged corrupt practices
against Governor Uduaghan are currently in wide circulation
throughout Delta State.
It would be recalled that Uduaghan’s cousin and
predecessor, James Ibori, was jailed in the United Kingdom
on account of his looting and money-laundering activities
during his tenure.
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