N400m Campaign Fund: EFCC Arrests Ebonyi Governor’s Brother, 2 others

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, August 30th, 2016

…As Funds Traced To Governor’s Companies

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

Ebonyi Nigeria (African Examiner) – Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Monday arrested Austin Umahi, younger brother to Ebonyi state Governor, Dave Umahi, along two others; Chinyere Egwuche and Mabel Dikibo for their alleged involvement in a N400, 000, 000 (four hundred million naira) fraud linked to former President Jonathan 2015 Campaign Funds.

Our Correspondent gathered that the suspects, all staff of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort, were arrested, following their refusal to honour invitation by the anti graft agency, for questioning in an ongoing investigation involving both companies.

While Austin Umahi, who is also the incumbent national south- east vice chairman of the opposition People’s Democratic party, PDP doubles as the Chairman of both companies, Chinyere Egwuche and Marbel Dikibo are also signatories to the companies’ accounts.

African Examiner gathered that Investigations by the Commission revealed that the sum of N400, 000, 000 was released by the Director of Finance, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, to PDP Ebonyi State, for the 2015 presidential election.

However, the said fund was moved from Fidelity Bank, Abakaliki on the 27th of March 2015, where it was initially deposited to an Access Bank, Abakaliki account, where one Maxwell Umahi, further moved N100, 000,000 and N300, 000,000 respectively into the accounts of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort respectively.

One of the suspects, Chinyere Egwuche subsequently withdrew the N300 million paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm, which according to her, was used to finance further construction of Osborn La-Palm Hotels in Abakaliki, Uburu and Port – harcourt, while the N100 million paid into the account of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited was transferred to a certain David Umahi Faith Foundation.

Although, investigation is still ongoing, the above mentioned companies have been traced to the Ebonyi State Governor.