Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have detained a former Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa, over his alleged failure to fulfil the conditions attached to an administrative bail earlier granted him.
The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is being investigated over his alleged involvement in the N350 million campaign funds for Imo State, was arrested a few months ago and granted administrative bail by the anti-graft agency, on the grounds that he would be reporting to its office at appointed dates. New Telegraph, however, learnt that the former governor allegedly breached the condition, thereby leading to his rearrest.
The former Minister of Commerce and Industry, who may be kept in the Commission’s custody pending his formal arraignment in court, was the State Coordinator of the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Organisation for the 2015 election.
In that capacity, therefore, Udenwa was alleged to have collected N350 million, which the EFCC suspected was meant to compromise the electoral process. He was alleged to have collected the said fund from a former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenaadi Usman, who was the campaign organisation’s Director of Finance.
Usman has since been arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on offences related. According to the source: “Chief Udenwa, in his statement to the commission (allegedly) admitted receiving the money (N350 million) via…account No.0058805692 and 005950791, on the 14th and 28th of January 2015, respectively, in three separate instalments.
“He (allegedly) added that the money came from a company named Joint Trust Dimension Limited. “Investigation however, revealed that Udenwa and a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, who was his deputy at the Presidential Campaign Organization, were (allegedly) the two signatories to the account that received the money.”
Explaining the circumstances that necessitated the former governor’s re-arrest, the source said: “Upon his arrest, Udenwa was immediately granted administrative bail by the commission, on the condition that he should be reporting at an appointed time.”
He added that while enjoying his administrative bail, Udenwa (allegedly) chose to skip reporting, thereby compelling the revocation of his administrative bail pending his arraignment, which will soon happen.”
– New Telegraph
