By Chinonso Alozie

Owerri – The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo state, on Tuesday called on the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, to investigate the funds of the 27 Council Areas of Imo state.

The PDP through the State Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiaku, made this call in a statement to Vanguard in Owerri.

According to the statement; “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State categorically states once again that nothing like election on September 21, 2024, and therefore, the purportedly elected 27 local government Chairmen and 305 Councillors are mere impostors, bizarrely imposed on the people of Imo by the Hope Uzodimma-led State Government.

“The so-called Chairmen and Councillors remain an illegal assembly, being used by their paymaster to undermine our democracy and the rule of law, and to further oppress the already traumatized people of Imo by siphoning local government allocations.”

PDP alleged that; “We have already intercepted intelligence regarding a deal by the Uzodimma administration that will require each of the purported 27 LG Chairmen to return more than 70 per cent of the local government allocations accruing to their LGAs to the State government’s coffers. To completely bind these appointed Chairmen and leave no room for rebellion, the Governor has forced them to sign their resignation letters and other binding documents, which will be enforced against any Chairman who fails to comply.

“The State Government is also said to have previously signed off two years’ worth of LGAs’ allocations to an Egyptian company for an alleged electrification project of the State under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

“While less than 50% of the total sum taken from the LGAs for the period under review was reportedly approved for the company in a deal that has yet to materialize, more than 50% is likely to end up in private pockets, as the Governor has never accounted for the monies received into the joint State/LGA account, which he continues to illegally maintain in sheer defiance of the Supreme Court’s judgment earlier this year.”

Therefore, the party said it was their resolve to “Call on anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), to investigate these fraudulent activities and initiate the prosecution of the complicit individuals under the full weight of the law. These financial crimes must not go unpunished.”