Former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha has sued the Imo State House of Assembly to court, challenging the probe initiated against his alleged mismanaging N19.63billion council funds.
The state Auditor-General for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had issued an interim audit report detailing how N19.63b fraudulently disappeared from the Local Government accounts between May and December 31, 2019, which led to the probe of the alleged missing fund
The money was allegedly taken from the State-Local Government Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) through the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (BLGCA).
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said in a statement that the sum was discovered during a routine audit of the accounts and records of JAAC for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.
“There was also an unconscionable mandatory withdrawal of N2.405illion by the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (BLGCA).
“Others are payment of N9.378billion to Local Government councils for an undisclosed purpose.”
“Other fictitious and fraudulent withdrawals include compulsory returns or kickbacks from Local Government Councils to the BLGCA to the tune of N2.404billion. This was deducted from the allocated funds of the LGAs,” he said, among others.
But the former governor, who had earlier denied the allegations has approached an Owerri High Court, seeking for a perpetual injunction restraining the Assembly from investigating him.
In a suit filed on May 5 at the Owerri Judicial Division, the former governor is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the House of Assembly from inviting him for an investigation into the alleged missing funds.
Imo State House of Assembly, the Speaker and the Clerk of the Assembly are the defendants.
Ihedioha also sought for an order to set aside any summon or invitation to him by the House or its agents to appear before it for an investigation on the funds
