Another scandal revolving around bribery has hit the Imo State Movable Assets Recovery Committee set up by the governor, Emeka Ihedioha.
The latest has to do with allegation from one of the former aides of the immediate past governor and immediate past chairman of Okigwe LGA, Frank Onwumere.
Onwumere was reported to have accused one of the committee members of sending him his account number for payment in respect to a vehicle seized in his possession.
It would be recalled that the committee led by Hon Jasper Ndubuaku has last week as part of its activities aimed at recovering government property stormed Onwumere’s house to retrieve Imo Government property in his possession. Apart from overcoming resistance Onwumere posted before they moved in to retrieve the cars, the former Okigwe LGA chairman raised allegation suspecting that there could be demand for bribe.
It would be recalled that Hon Chike Okafor has last week made an accusation alleging that the committee on Recovery similarly requested about N500,000 before his seized vehicles could be released.
When contacted on phone over the allegation, committee chairman, Hon Ndubuaku dismissed the allegation saying he is a liar who should be ashamed to raise fictitious claims and baseless allegations.
“Don’t mind Onwumere. What do you expect from him? Don’t you know his past antecedents? He is a cheap blackmailer because all the allegations raised are fictitious.
“There is nothing like that. And you know if we begin or continue to reply to all allegations bothering on bribery, we can’t do this work. We can’t be distracted by funny bribery allegation. It doesn’t exist, those being hunted to return government property must seek a means to make false claim in order to distract the good job we are doing” Ndubuaku added.
One of the committee members Onwumere fingered, Okechukwu Azu, also has this to say about the allegation.
He stated that he had a business deal with Mr.Onwumere in the past which the latter never complied with.
“I had a business deal with Mr.Onwumere in the past which he never paid for.
“When I persisted him to pay up because of his refusal not to pay was affecting my business, he told me to send my account number. This happened a long time ago.
“To my greatest surprise, he is now telling people that I sent my account number to him for him to pay me bribe.
“You know the Committee just recovered some Government Property from his house and because of that, he decided to blackmail me by saying things that are not true in the media.
Mr. Azu said that at no time did he ask for bribe from Mr.Onwumere or from anyone in the cause of discharging his duties as Secretary of the Committee on Assets Recovery.
He stated further that the negative character traits of Mr.Onwumere is well known to the public which explains his thuggish attitude and irresponsible behaviours, therefore such allegations from such a man should be totally ignored.
He also said that such blackmail from Mr.Onwumere should not come as a surprise because he is being caught up by the misdeeds of the past administration which he was part of.
Mr.Azu said he, the Chairman and other Committee members have been targets of attack and blackmail in recent times from the likes of Mr.Onwumere and those who stole the State blind in the last eight years.
He explained he is an upright person, a successful businessman and a man of integrity which are some of the reasons why Imo State Governor, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha selected him and others to undertake the task of recovering stolen government Property by officials of the past administration.
He said such cheap blackmail will not deter him and other Committee members from carrying out the task ahead.
He said “Because of the nature of our work, we have been targets of blackmail and outright falsehood. So much unfounded allegations have been heaped on us. They are not true. Those blackmailing me like Mr. Onwumere are those who raped our State.
Mr.Azu popularly called Alhaji, said no amount of blackmail on the committee will stop it from discharging its functions, assuring that by the time Committee concludes its assignment, the people of Imo State will appreciate their efforts.
