APGA cheiftain, Obiokoye says EFCC allegations against Obiano a ruse

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Barrister Ifeatu Obiokoye, who is also the Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on Political Matters, has said the alleged placement of Governor Willie Obiano on the watchlist of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not emanate from the anti-graft agency.

Recall that the media was awash with report that EFCC wrote a certain letter to the Nigeria Immigration Service, purporting that Governor Willie Obiano was on its watchlist and should not be allowed out of the country after the March 17th, 2022 handover ceremony.

Reacting to this, the SA said the letter was a mere fabrication because it did not bear the letter-heading of the EFCC, not signed by any principal officer of the anti-graft agency and equally has no name written on it and also not published in the organisation’s website; not even in national newspapers.

Obiokoye said, “Is the letter an official statement of the EFCC? If it is the official position of the EFCC, then it will come with an official statement signed by a principal officer of the EFCC and the statement will be posted on the official website of the EFCC for the whole world to know that it is the official position of the EFCC.

“For me, I see an infantile game trending considering the fact that we have barely four months to the departure of the governor and until EFCC comes out an official position, I refuse to accept the fact that that publication is trending in the social media is the official position of the EFCC.

“A letter that is trending is said to have been written by the EFCC to the Controller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service. No letter has been published in the national dailies for the public to see. The Controller General in question has not confirmed to the general public that he received any such letter.

“The writer of the letter has also not confirmed officially to the general public that any such letter emanated from the EFCC. I will be mindful to advise the general public especially APGA members worldwide not to have deviated from the joy we are enjoying as a product of the election that we just won.

“I think this is another game by mischief makers which is part of the contraption that followed the last governorship election. The elections have come and gone and we think this is the time to give Anambra a chance for peace.”

Obiokoye reechoed the fact that no details of any kind or any crime being investigated were given in the purported letter to the Nigeria Immigration Service allegedly barring Governor Willie Obiano from travelling out of the country.

He said he also believed that every public officer ought to be on the watchlist of the EFCC unofficially because according to him, the EFCC is there to ensure that every public office holder ran his office according to the law.

The legal luminary, however, maintained that the alleged letter from the EFCC remained a fabrication and should not be taken seriously by members of the public, urging the citizenry to disregard the rumour as it is a distraction from the glory of the just concluded governorship election everyone is currently savouring in the state and the world over.