One of the appointments made by the Imo State Governor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha is generating ripples in the state as it has already excavated the rested case of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC against the Achike Udenwa administration, LGA chairmen who served under his tenure and a construction firm named Romix for public discourse.
Trumpeta recalls that towards the end of Udenwa’s tenure as governor, key members of his administration, including the council chairmen were interrogated by the EFCC over mix up connected with a contract for five kilometer road per LGA, Romix were expected to execute which couldn’t be done in many councils.
The ill manner Romix in alliance with LGA chairmen of Udenwa era under the Mayor Eze leadership, the present Special Adviser to Ihedioha on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs handled the project prompted Senator Arthur Nzeribe to petition the EFCC.
Eze last week was appointed SA to Ihedioha on LGA matters. He also served as chairman of Orlu LGA between 2004-2006 and was the ALGON Chairman during the Udenwa/Romix EFCC saga.
Moments after he was appointed Adviser to Ihedioha on LGA and chieftaincy Affairs, tongues started wagging about his involvement on the EFCC case against the council chairmen of the Udenwa era.
Mayor Eze who is at the centre of the storm following reactions that it is unfair to allow him be incharge of the LGA system after the Romix EFCC case gave a clearer picture of what transpired while reacting to issues raised by an activit, Samuelson Iwuoha.
Mayor Eze, who also went to House of Reps to represent Orlu, Orsu and Oru East, explained that “I was the Chairman of Orlu LGA and Chairman of ALGON in Imo state during the Romix issue. Following a petition from Senator Arthur Nzeribe on the floor of the Senate inviting EFCC to investigate the Romix contract, all the Local Government Chairmen in Imo state were either arrested or invited to the EFCC in Lagos and detained.
“I was in the US then. I came home and walked into the EFCC office in Lagos and reported myself. As the chairman of ALGON, I was also detained and interrogated.
“In brief, the Romix issue was a laudable one. It was a joint project on roads by the 27 local governments on road construction. When allocations could carry the deductions, we deducted N6m per LGA and kept in a zenith account for the project. The contractor has started in some local governments when trouble started. The money paid to the contractor and the balance of N600m that was in zenith account tallied with the total amount deducted so far for the contract.
“The EFCC after questioning the 27 Local Government Chairmen released all of us. No chairman including myself was charged after the interrogation and investigations.
“I later went to the House of Reps same year in 2007. I have being around since then”.
Earlier Iwuoha had alleged that a five kilometer per LGA contract was awarded to Romix construction company LTD owned by Dr Doyin Okupe in 2005. The money was collected from source and allegedly approved by Mayor Eze as chairmen of Orlu LGA and Imo State ALGON chairman.
Iwuoha claimed that despite evidence of payment, no single road was constructed and money not refunded. According to him, a fraud case was established and EFCC on it.
The activist claimed Eze and others were arrested and detained to query why Ihedioha considered him fit for advice on LGA matters.
