Some fresh fact are beginning to emerge over the recent defection of the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Mr. Ndutimi Alaibe, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Col. Sam Inokoba, (rtd) and others to the All Progressives Congress, (APC).
According to socio-political group, Bayelsa for Good Governance, their decision to decamp was aimed at escaping the sledge hammer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), noting their activities while in office as public/political office holders weren’t transparent.
This was contained in a statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Perefini Ebiye and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa.
According to the statement the EFCC is beaming its searchlight on the activities of Alaibe as the Director of Finance and Managing Director of NDDC, Senator Lokpobori, as former Chairman of the Senate committee on sports and Col. Inokoba as the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Bayelsa state.
The group in its statement opined that the EFCC, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s zero tolerance for corruption is investigating the activities of these set of people while in office and if found culpable may be charged to court.
The allegations against Alaibe, according to the group, include the disappearance of the sum of N187 billion earmarked for the completion of some key NDDC projects which was allegedly diverted and used partly to fund the third term project of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the case of Retired Col. Sam Inokoba, the former Bayelsa State PDP Chairman, he is scheduled to keep a date with the EFCC over the misappropriation of party funds, following a petition written by some party stalwarts and made available to the anti-graft agency.
According to the group,Senator Lokpobiri on his part was alleged to have misappropriated the sum of N5 billion regarded as funds earmarked for the development of key projects in his constituency since he is the senator representing Bayelsa West senatorial district between 2007 and 2015.
“For us, these men sensing the danger ahead, the affected politicians decided to defect to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in order to escape the sledge hammer of the anti-graft agency”, the group said.
It could however be recalled that the Bayelsa political heavyweights said during the defection ceremony last weekend that they were indeed motivated by their desire to ensure change.But the claims by the Bayelsa for Good Governance group may be an indication of a fresh twist in the tale.
Whether the EFCC will actually go after the new defector from PDP to APC remains to be seen.
