N450m election cash: EFCC grills ex-Governor Chime

 

                                  Chime 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday quizzed former Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime in connection with the N23.29billion poll bribery scandal.

The ex-governor is being probed in connection with the N450million believed to have been allocated to the state from the cash believed to have been given out by former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke.

According to the EFCC, Chime reported at the Enugu zonal office of the Commission in response to an invitation to explain his role in the disbursement of the money.

A top source said: “The former governor in his statement denied any personal involvement with the disbursement of the said amount as was claimed by Mrs. Rita Chinelo Mba, secretary to the campaign office and his former Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

“According to Chime, the money was brought by two of his former commissioners, Joe Nmamnel and Mrs. Rita Mba in company of the Chairman of the PDP, Enugu State, Ikeji Asogwa and Prof. Osita Ogbu.

“He said he gave the money to his orderly for safe keep and that only Rita Mba should have access to it to facilitate her work as secretary of the campaign secretariat.

“He denied personally disbursing the fund.”

The source added: “Chime is expected to report on Monday for further interrogation”

Those quizzed at the Enugu Zonal office of EFCC since May 4, 2016 are a former Governor of Imo State ,Achike Udenwa; Senator Chris Anyanwu; a legal luminary , Mr. Mike Ahamba (SAN) and a former Minister of Power, Chinedum Nebo, for their involvement in an alleged disbursement of N700million from the same  fund.

The EFCC has been probing the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke on her alleged involvement in a $115m (N23, 299,705,000billion) 2015 poll bribery scandal.

About four oil firms, 14 directors of oil companies, two banks and more than 22 INEC officers, including RECs, are under investigation too.

Some INEC officers already grilled are REC Gesil Khan for collecting  N185, 842,000 out of a N681million bribe deal; Fidelia Omoile( Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State)–N112,480,000 ; Uluochi Obi Brown( INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Delta State)–N111,500,000; a former Deputy Director  of INEC in Cross River state, Edem Okon Effanga—N241,127,000 and the Head of Voter Education in INEC in Akwa Ibom, Immaculata Asuquo–N214,127,000.

Also, a retired INEC employee, Sani Isa  was grilled over alleged N 406,206,000 bribe sum allegedly collected on behalf of the deceased Resident Electoral Commissioner  (REC), in Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi.