Edo: EFCC plans to detain our accountant-general till end of Obaseki’s tenure

The Edo government says the state’s accountant-general and four officials were invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a “repaid loan”.

The state government said they honoured the invitation of the anti-graft agency on Thursday and were subsequently detained.

Chris Nehikhare, Edo commissioner for information, said the EFCC plans to keep them in custody until the end of the tenure of Godwin Obaseki, the outgoing governor of the state.

He said the loan under investigation was obtained by the state government from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Nehikhare alleged that the EFCC is trying to cripple “governance in Edo state and acting out a script that portends grave danger to democracy”.

“The government officers, including the State Accountant on Thursday, honoured the invitation as requested at the Benin Office of the EFCC to provide necessary answers as required by the EFCC,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

“However, upon realizing that one of the invited officials was no longer a signatory to the government account, the EFCC released the officer and requested for the current signatory, whose name was not initially on the invitation letter.

“The said officer is now also being detained by the agency at Abuja in addition to the others who were originally invited and honoured the invitation.

“The EFCC seems intent on crippling governance in Edo State and acting out a script that portends grave danger to democracy.

“The reason for the invitation of these civil servants is clear, contrary to the invitation letter is to keep them in EFCC custody till November 12, on the day of the termination of the tenure of this government.”

The commissioner said Obaseki runs a transparent and accountable government.

Obaseki is expected to hand over the reins of the state to Monday Okpebholo, the governor-elect, on November 12.

Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win the governorship poll.

Ighodalo was backed by Obaseki to win the election.