The Anambra State Government has noted that the outgoing governor of the state, Willie Obiano will not surrender to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after leaving office.
C. Don Adinuba, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, who stated this in response to speculations that Obiano, whose tenure ends today, is being awaited by the anti graft agency, said the governor won’t be going to the agency after leaving office.
Recall that the EFCC had last year placed the governor on its watch list. In a letter to the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service dated November 15, 2021, the EFCC requested to be informed anytime Obiano was travelling out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit.
Obiano, who will hand over to Charles Soludo, former CBN governor, on Thursday, is one of several governors allegedly being investigated for graft and money laundering.
Adinuba who responded to questions on whether the governor would surrender to the EFCC or not, said his principal had not been invited by the commission and insisted that there was no petition against him that could warrant an investigation or invitation.
He dismissed reports that the governor had been placed on the watch list of the EFCC and the NIS.
“First of all, the EFCC never made that statement categorically to anybody. So, when the deficiencies in the statement were highlighted, they were clear and convincing to everyone. I am not aware anybody has indicted him (Obiano),” he said.
“Nobody confronted him with any issue; I do not think there are petitions against him. We were surprised to read in newspapers, and not even a statement by the EFCC directly; just a statement from third parties. I find it curious that they would say they are waiting for him. The governor, to the best of my knowledge, is not worried about the EFCC; there is nothing to worry about.”
When asked if Obiano would voluntarily go to the EFCC to clear his name, Adinuba stated, “Will you go to the EFCC if you aren’t invited? Do you expect me to go to the EFCC if I have not been invited?
“To the best of my knowledge, there is no invitation from the EFCC. The commission has the governor’s telephone number and address, but has made no move to contact him. It will be extremely foolish to go there. There is no contact between us and the EFCC.”