Governor Dave Umahi has been accused of making illegal withdrawal of N6.7 billion from the coffers of the Ebonyi State Government within days of his sacking as governor of the state.
Umahi withdrew the huge sum from five banks holding accounts of the state to fund his appeal of the recent Federal High Court judgment ordering him and his deputy to vacate their offices, according to a petition seen by TrackNews on Wednesday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, acknowledged the petition addressed to its chairman by lawyer to the Peoples Democratic Party, Barr. Nkemakolam Okoro of the Dynamic Options Chambers, Abuja.
Okoro told TrackNews in an interview on Wednesday that Umahi’s alleged looting of the state coffers was brought to the notice of his client by civil servants who are privy to the withdrawal.
“It’s a fact which clearly was divulged to our clients by civil servants in Ebonyi State. The governor cannot make such withdrawals without the civil servants because it would pass through processes. It was those civil servants that leaked the information to my client and it was on that basis that they had to answer,” the lawyer told this website.
According to him, Governor Dave Umahi wants to “deplete virtually all funds in Ebonyi State treasury before he finally leaves” office.
Okoro said the petition against Umahi marked EFCC/PET/HQ/0931/2022 and dated March 22 was also copied to the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the ICPC, and financial initiations in the country.
He said following Umahi’s sacking by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, the governor “commenced the massive looting of the properties and finances of Ebonyi State” within a space of one week of the judgment.
In the petition, the lawyer claimed that Umahi “has withdrawn from the accounts of the Ebony State government, held with Zenith Bank, First Bank, United Bank of Africa, Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, Union Bank, FCMB, and Stanbic 1BTC Bank, over 6 Billion Naira, to fund the legal fees for some of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria, he has engaged to handle his matter on appeal.
“Our client has it on good authority that one of the Senior Advocates based in Lagos had asked for a down payment of the sum of $1 million as deposit, before accepting Mr. Umahi’s appeal briefs. The naira withdrawals were immediately converted to dollars, to achieve this purpose.
“It is, therefore, our client’s instructions that we notify your esteemed office, of this massive looting of the resources of Ebonyi State by the former governor of Ebonyi State, David Nweze Umahi. Our client, appeals to your esteemed office, to as a matter of urgency, use your powers to stop the massive looting of the finances of Ebonyi State, by David Nweze Umahi, given the judgment of the Federal High Court, removing him from office as the governor of Ebonyi State. A copy of the enrolled judgment orders of the Federal High Court is attached herewith for your information.”
TrackNews earlier reported that after his sacking by the court, Governor Umahi revealed that he had hired 18 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to challenge the court judgment that sacked him and his deputy.
The embattled governor revealed that 8 of the senior advocates were engaged to challenge his removal at the Abuja Federal High Court while 10 others were hired to help upturn the judgment at the Enugu Appeal Court.
But speaking further to THE WHISTLER on Umahi’s status, Okoro said the two-time Ebonyi governor remains a former governor as far as the trial court’s judgment is concerned.
“Clearly, no court has granted a stay of execution of the judgment of the federal high court, sacking the former governor…. As of today, the judgment of the Federal High Court still stands. He still remains the former governor of Ebonyi State.
“A stay of execution can only be granted by the court which issued the judgment or the appellate court,” he said.
TrackNews called the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information, Uchenna Orji, for reaction to the allegations in the petition but he promised to issue a statement later today.
