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Finally, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has, on Wednesday evening, released former Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on an administrative bail. This comes with the ex-governor’s international passport seized as a lien, to prevent him from leaving the country as more discreet investigation continues, sources said.
The State Online reports that Obiano was arrested at the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on his way to the United States, shortly after handing over to his successor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, in Awka, Anambra State capital, on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Before his arrest, he was said to be on EFCC watch list over a cocktail of economic and financial crimes running into billions of naira.
This was even as his successor, Gov Chukwuma Soludo, had, on Tuesday, given an insight into the finances of the state, saying that the state’s economy was not robust a bit, when he took over.
Speaking on Arise News Television interview, Soludo said from the audited account of the state ending December 31, 2021, there is about N300 million to N400 million cash in various banks and about N1.5 billion debt left by the ex-governor.
He said: “In terms of finances, there is detailed audited account which is a public document and anybody can assess it. The audited account up to 31st December, 2021 has been published. It contains our assets and liabilities as at the end of the year.
“Everybody knows that the state finances are not robust. We have debt of 100 and something billion and about 300 million cash. But we will still have reconciliation to make for the period between January and the day we were handed over. There is also contractor debt contingent liabilities. That is the baseline.
“We intend to be publishing our accounts for everybody to see and what our money is used for,” Soludo promised.
Efforts to get EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, comment on the ex-governor’s release met a brick-wall, as he appeared indisposed./SHARE THIS
