A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Moses Idika, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch an immediate investigation into alleged contract racketeering involving several government officials recently arrested on the orders of Governor Francis Nwifuru.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, Idika emphasized that a thorough probe would prevent further embarrassment and mismanagement in the state.
He also urged other anti-corruption agencies, including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), to investigate additional officials who may have violated Ebonyi’s procurement laws.
Reports indicate that Governor Nwifuru ordered the arrest of six commissioners and several contractors accused of sabotaging government projects. The decision came after an internal report allegedly implicated them in working against the administration’s agenda.
The affected commissioners include:
- Prof. Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education)
- Victor Chukwu (Environment)
- Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism)
- Uchenna Igwe (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters)
- Dr. Moses Ekuma (Health)
- Felix Igboke (Project Monitoring)
Additionally, the Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Timothy Nwachi, was also implicated.
Reacting to the development, Idika described the situation as an unfortunate reflection of governance failure in Ebonyi over the past two years.
“Many residents initially thought it was an ‘April Fool’ prank when the news broke on April 1. This is a blatant violation of the Ebonyi State Public Procurement and Related Matters Law No. 016 of 2020, which prohibits public officials from engaging in procurement processes due to the risk of conflict of interest and corruption,” he stated.
He further stressed the need for law enforcement and anti-graft agencies to intervene.
“With these revelations, it is imperative that security and anti-corruption agencies—including the EFCC, CCB, and ICPC—take over the case and investigate other officials who might be involved in similar contract racketeering.”
Idika also criticized the state government, warning against turning governance into a system of rewarding political allies and family members at the expense of public resources.
“Governor Nwifuru’s administration must understand that governance is not a bazaar for political acolytes, family members, and cronies. Enough is enough! Ebonyi’s public resources should not be used to build private business empires,” he declared.
