*Information Ministry, former ACN chieftain, mischievous VON staff behind the EFCC probe
*His insistence on assisting junior staff and promoting merit his key albattros
By Haruna Abubakar and Soni Adebanjo
A complex web of political intrigues, power play and outright mischief from staff of the Voice of Nigeria, all linked to All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) faction at the APC are said to be at the root cause of the travails of Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON).
These forces said to be coordinated at the Federal Ministry of Information are reportedly said to be armtwisting the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure they indict Okechukwu.
The VON-DG had severally been invited by the EFCC, released after the anti-graft agency found nothing incriminating against him, but had to be armtwisted to detain him recently over an alleged case of conspiracy, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N1.3billion. The VON-DG had severally been invited by the EFCC, released after the anti-graft agency found nothing incriminating against him, but had to be armtwisted to detain him recently over an alleged case of conspiracy, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N1.3billion.
VON is known to be one of the agencies of government whose previous chief executive officers have all been grilled several times by the EFCC over frivolous petitions emanating from the staff members, especially the gullible ones who do everything possible to smear their bosses in a desperate bid to want to be appointed the DG.
But sources close to the Ministry of Information and Culture say that the Enugu State-born politician and close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari has been under constant harassment and marginalisation by Alhaji Mohammed and forces close to him, leading to the several moves made to force Okechukwu out of the agency that he was appointed to head on May 24, 2016.
These same forces almost succeeded in frustrating the reappointment of Okechukwu for a second term in office, made last year.
Okechukwu has been a loyal supporter of President Buhari from their days at the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and has been a leading voice for the APC in the South-East geo-political zone since the fusion of CPC, ACN, ANPP etc to form the APC.
One of the sources told our correspondent that top officials of the VON, loyal to Mohammed were pressured to petition the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), which led to Okechukwu’s invitation to the anti-graft agency’s headquarters last Saturday.
The attitude of Mohammed and the ACN faction of the APC towards Okechukwu was said to have been further hardened by the VON DG’s support for the removal of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of APC and his recent request on Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu not to run for the nation’s Presidency, but to remain a kingmaker and unite the South-East and South-West by supporting a younger person from the South-East to succeed President Buhari.
Asiwaju Tinubu has indicated interest in contesting the presidency and the position of Okechukwu that he should step aside is being seen as an affront to the ACN camp of which Mohammed is a leading member.
Alhaji Mohammed was Tinubu’s Chief of Staff when the Lagos strongman was two-term governor of Lagos and has remained a strong supporter of the Jagaban of Borgu.
VON is one of the federal agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, primarily established with the mandate to broadcast Nigeria’s viewpoints and project the country’s positive image to the international community. The thinking is that if such a machine is left in the hand of a man who is opposed to the aspiration of the leader of the camp of the Minister, it would be a major minus for the Asiwaju, hence the offensive to ease him out at all costs.
Besides, Alhaji Mohammed is said to have a tradition of face-offs with Heads of parastatals and agencies under the Ministry, the most memorable being the moves that ended with the ouster of Ibrahim Modibo Kawu, a former Director General of National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
Mohammed is likewise said to be having a running battle with the Governor of Kwara State, his home state, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, over his alleged overbearing posture.
Also recently, it was alleged that when some governors met with President Buhari, to complain about the poor management of Federal Government information platforms, Okechukwu’s name was linked to the complaint, with a source within the Governors’ Forum disclosing that when the Minister heard that Okechukwu’s name featured, he swore that the VON boss must go by “fair or foul means”. Also recently, it was alleged that when some governors met with President Buhari, to complain about the poor management of Federal Government information platforms, Okechukwu’s name was linked to the complaint, with a source within the Governors’ Forum disclosing that when the Minister heard that Okechukwu’s name featured, he swore that the VON boss must go by “fair or foul means”.
Mohammed is said to be so embittered with Okechukwu that he failed to announce the re-appointment of the DG VON as he did for other heads of parastatals under the Ministry of Information and Culture when the President re-appointed him last year.
Also currently, officials of the Information Ministry are meeting to review the NBC, but the VON DG was not invited by the Minister for reasons best known to him.
But an aide to the Minister who pleaded anonymity told The AUTHORITY that Lai Mohammed has no hand in the matter, insisting that Okechukwu is on his own and should carry his cross. An EFCC operative also denied the complicity of EFCC in any plot to nail Okechukwu, pointing out that the petition against him came from his staff and not the ministry, and further denying being under any pressure.
The source however, could not make any comment on why they made his detention public, knowing it was media trial intended to smear his reputation and bring his estimation into question by his principal and personal friend, President Buhari.
Our investigations however confirmed that Okechukwu’s invitation followed an anonymous petition, which claimed among others, due process infractions, that the DG VON, allegedly paid 2016 capital funds 100 percent the same year to procure some equipment and complete the multi-storey head office of VON off Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse2, Abuja, a building that was by then said to be under interim forfeiture.
Our investigations however confirmed that Okechukwu’s invitation followed an anonymous petition, which claimed among others, due process infractions, that the DG VON, allegedly paid 2016 capital funds 100 percent the same year to procure some equipment and complete the multi-storey head office of VON off Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse2, Abuja, a building that was by then said to be under interim forfeiture.
Okechukwu’s invitation and session with EFCC investigators made headlines on television, social media and all major newspapers the following Sunday, according to the plan of the VON boss’ traducers, thereby confusing the hand of Esau with the voice of Jacob in the matter.
Sources within EFCC, who are very familiar with the case told our reporter that contrary to insinuations in the media, Okechukwu was not detained by the Commission, explaining that what happened was that it was too late for the DG to produce two Directors from other agencies other than VON to surety him.
“We were very civil and courteous with the DG. We did not detain him per se, because what actually happened was that he could not get other MDAs’ directors on time to endorse his release.
“We deduced from the anonymous petition that it had to do with a running battle between the DG and his supervising minister. “The petitioners alleged that he used the 2016 budget provision to acquire a nonexistent head office at Plot 1386 Oda Crescent Wuse II, Abuja,” one of the sources disclosed.
On the nature of defense advanced by Okechukwu, the operative said the VON DG denied the allegations in the petition that funds were embezzled, arguing that all the contracts were executed, and that Voice of Nigeria is currently occupying its corporate headquarters situated at 1386 Aminu Kano Crescent.
On the nature of defense advanced by Okechukwu, the operative said the VON DG denied the allegations in the petition that funds were embezzled, arguing that all the contracts were executed, and that Voice of Nigeria is currently occupying its corporate headquarters situated at 1386 Aminu Kano Crescent.
“The DG informed operatives that what he did was in overriding public interest and on doctrine of necessity, stressing that shortly after his appointment, he sought for the plot of land allocated to VON in Abuja master plan, but was told that the plot was reallocated to Yar’Adua Center, as a token gift to Gen Shehu Yar’Adua, who is one of Nigeria’s heroes of democracy that paid the supreme sacrifice.
“The DG further told the interrogating team that he made acquisition of befitting corporate office his cardinal objective to upscale operations of the agency.
He added that being a contemporary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that Voice of Nigeria needed a befitting office complex to house its systems and digitize its operations, especially as VON now has a lot of competitors,” the source said.
He stated: “What our investigating team wanted to know was how the DG spent public funds when he had not acquired the house. They said Okechukwu’s defence was that he was reassured by Mr. President’s approval in principle in July 2016.
“It was no longer serving the international audience as hitherto. As such it became imperative to go digital in line with contemporary realities in the digital broadcast world.
“I recall that the DG revealed that three months after his appointment he discovered that VON was merely squatting in Radio House belonging to a sister agency and he asked about the whereabouts of the plot in Abuja master plan. “And they told him it was re-allocated. He had his critical mandate to secure an office space for VON, digitalise broadcasting, provide staff housing and solar energy for the transmitter station.
“Okechukwu told operatives that the EFCC took him around to inspect various properties before he settled for the one at the 1386 Oda Crescent, which was seized from the former Chief of Air Staff (CAS), late Alex Barde.”
“He disclosed that in July, that is less than three months later, he applied to the President, who graciously approved in principle and directed him to the Chief of Staff, who in turn directed him to the EFCC chairman.”
In the petition sited by this reporter, the petitioners said, “the irony of the situation was that at the time VON moved into the premises, EFCC had not secured final forfeiture of the property”.
But, EFCC sources said Okechukwu claimed that it was because final forfeiture had not been granted that in 2018 Magu asked VON to rent the place at the cost of N86million, being the market value of the property at the time, so as to. have one leg in the uncompleted building since the Nigeria Airforce and others were making moves to take possession.
When contacted about the progress of the investigation and whether the DG VON was still in their custody, EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said that Okechukwu had been released Monday.
