By Olusola Oke
Akure – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged N15 million fraud in the Ondo State House of Assembly.
The APC, in a statement issued in Akure on Monday by its Ondo State Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, commended members of the Assembly for changing the leadership over the alleged fraud.
The Assembly, had on Friday, Jan. 27, impeached the Speaker, Ms Jumoke Akindele, and other principal officers over allegation of N15 million fraud.
The sum of N15 million was allegedly found in the possession of the Assembly Pay Master, Mr Makanjuola Adesina, who told the lawmakers that it was withdrawn on the instruction of the Speaker for a project which he failed to disclose.
Adesanya said the discovery was a confirmation of the party’s previous allegations that there was a “looting spree’’ in all the state ministries, departments and agencies.
“The removal of the Speaker, Ms Jumoke Akindele, and her Deputy, Mr Fatai Olu, on allegation of fraud is an attestation of Mimiko’s looting spree in all ministries, agencies and parastatals in the state in the last eight years.
“The party called on the EFCC to arrest the former Speaker, former Deputy Speaker, and former Majority Leader, Mr Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, for investigations over the alleged N15 million fraud and other financial recklessness in the Assembly.
“The Assembly has been a rubber stamp of anything goes, under the leadership of the former Speaker.
“It is noteworthy that the honourable members could summon courage this time around to question the leadership of the house, which seems untouchable, by the outright removal of the Speaker and Deputy.
“The former Speaker has been of tremendous help to Gov. Olusegun Mimiko in plunging Ondo State into indebtedness to the tune of about N150 billion in loans without due process and commensurate achievements, but rather the money went into private pockets,’’ he said.
Adesanya charged the new leadership of the Assembly to prevent the looting of the state treasury by the outgoing government.
“We appeal to the new leadership of the Assembly to prevent last minutes looting of the state’s treasury and properties through awards of phony contracts with massive payment of mobilisation feeswithout budgetary allocation,’’ he said.
Adesanya said that the party would provide necessary support and information to the EFCC in the course of its investigation into the alleged looting spree and unabated corruption in the state in the last eight years.
“We once again applauded the EFCC for a job well done during the arrest of Mr Johnson Ogunyemi, the Chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) over allegation of fraud in the commission.
“The party implores the anti-graft agency to beam its searchlight into the various ministries, departments and agencies in the state as we are sure that there are cases of corruption going on in the MDAs,” he said.
