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Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has expressed his readiness to submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, if the agency requires his presence in connection with his eight years of stewardship in the state.
Obaseki stated this on Wednesday during the EdoBEST National Results-Sharing Session in Abuja, where he highlighted his administration’s achievements.
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“I’m not afraid of the EFCC. Why should I be? What is important is focus. I came into office and ignored the noise, concentrating on what I felt was important, and today you can see the results,” Obaseki said.
“If the EFCC calls on me, I will hand myself over; I have nothing to hide.”
The outgoing governor also expressed his belief that the vindictiveness and bitterness in the political landscape are secondary to addressing the real challenges faced by the country.
The Eastern Updates had reported that the state Accountant General, Mr Julius Anelu and four officials of the government have allegedly been arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.
The Eastern Updates gathered that the officials were allegedly arrested for being signatories to the state government’s accounts.
A source within the agency said the staff were being held at the Benin zonal office of the agency.
The sources added that they were arrested on Thursday after they had been called in for a briefing.
It was also learned that officials of the agency have said that they intend to keep the arrested staff till November 12, on the day of the termination of the tenure of the outgoing governor of Edo State.
The arrest of the officials was alleged to have halted government activities as emoluments due to civil servants, pensions, and other public servants have not been paid.
The Eastern Updates also gathered that other statutory payments such as security bills and other obligations were affected by the arrest.
When contacted for confirmation, EFCC spokesman in the Benin Zonal office in Edo State, Williams Oseghale, simply directed our reporter to the Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale.
