Fight Against Corruption: Group Drags Edo Federal Lawmaker To EFCC

By Simeon OSAJIE

A pro democracy group, ‘Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative’ have petitioned the Member representing Ovia Federal House of Representatives in the National Assembly, Hon. Dennis Idahosa to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) on allegation of Advance Fee fraud.

According to the petition which has been circulated widely, the group relied on a 2015 administrative report by the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, when he was the governor of Edo State.

The petition which is titled: PETITION AGAINST HON. DENNIS IDAHOSA OVER ALLEGATIONS OF INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL FRAUD LEVELED AGAINST HIM BY EDO STATE GOVERNMENT WHILE IN OFFICE AS A COMMISSIONER, CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION, EFCC, reads:

“We write on behalf of ‘Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative’ with reference to the subject matter above. It has been brought to our attentions as a group committed to democratic best practices and sanity in the public space, that Hon. Dennis Idahosa was reported in 2015 by the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, while he was governor of Edo State, to be involved in international fraud which led to unceremonious exit from the State Executive Council as Commissioner for Investments and Public/Private Partnership.

“The State government traced his exit to allegation that Mr. Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activities (popularly called 419).

“According to the State Government report, the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had received series of petitions, mostly from overseas, alleging that Mr. Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activities on an industrial scale.

“The petitioners purportedly to be his victims, alleged they had been swindled of huge sums of money. Disturbed and consistent with his zero tolerance for corruption or any conduct that might tarnish the image of Edo State or bring the country to international odium for that matter, Comrade Oshiomhole had late last year (2015) set up a high-level administrative panel to look into the grave allegations discreetly.

“After weeks of forensic investigations, the panel’s findings were startling. Last week, Mr. Idahosa became aware that the administrative panel was on the verge of formally requesting him to answer those weighty charges.

“As a matter of fact, last Thursday (January 29, 2015), Mr. Idahosa had attended APC Mega Presidential rally at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium that was well attended in his capacity as Commissioner. Curiously, he dramatically reappeared barely 24 hours later at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announcing his defection.

“We do not want to join the speculation that Mr. Idahosa’s defection was designed to preempt the report of the administrative panel or his action motivated by an external offer of protection.

“However, in the name of decency and justice and international image of our country, we can only encourage Mr. Idahosa to come out in the open and answer the sundry allegations of 419 leveled against him.

“Otherwise, the long arms of the law, though may be delayed by his new powerful friends, will ultimately prevail,” the report stated.”

Furthermore, group disclosed that, Edo State government added that, “shortly after the above report was made public, Idahosa made a sudden u-turn and returned to the fold of All Progressives Congress”

The anti corruption group lamented that, Idahosa was later elected a member of Federal House of Representatives.

“Presently, he is contesting for the governorship of Edo State, despite the sordid story concerning the serious weight of Edo State 2015 administrative report which indicted him.

“In the light of these developments, your office is duty bound to invite him to clarify that he is, or is not a person of corrupt antecedent.

“Mr. Chairman would agree that these allegations are very weighty, especially coming from a State Government. It is therefore a matter of patriotic duty that it is thoroughly investigated. And since the State Government led by Adams Oshiomhole (now Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) claimed that it received several petitions and also have a Panel Report thereto, the Commission may in addition to other of its investigative strategies call for those documents and invite His Excellency Senator Adams Oshiomhole. This is particularly in line with the powers and duties of the EFCC.

“We are disturbed by the open knowledge of Mr. Idahosa’s activities in Canada where he had sojourned for several years, before his unceremonious return to Nigeria.

“More disturbing is the fact that, Idahosa has gone ahead to occupy public offices and has been cleared by the APC now to contest for the highest office in Edo State under the Political Platform whose government allegedly indicted him for fraud.

“Then, there is an odious dimension to it, which your commission should unravel. For instance, Nigerians may wish to know whether the State Government willfully lied, or it is the case of a criminal who has settled the political class and his ‘sins’ are ‘forgiven.’

“The unraveling of this possible criminal riddle is the task before you, Mr. Chairman. And this could also lead to a resolution as to whether the Edo State Government of 2015 willfully defamed a person and lied to the public which are offences.

“We urge you to act in your usual swift and firm manner to reassure Nigerians that persons of criminal antecedents will not be allowed in public offices. This investigation may also lay to rest, these allegations if they can no longer be substantiated. We await your action and report,” the group lamented.