APC chieftain and former Deputy National Chairman of the Ali-modu Sheriff led People Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, has written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, asking him to unleash Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Delta state government over alleged “blank 2017 budget and appropriation” for the state.
Ojougbo, who recently joined the APC in Delta state, said that ten members of the Delta State House of Assembly informed him in confidence “of the high level of fraud that is currently ongoing in their legislative House.”
Reading his open letter to the newsmen Wednesday in Abuja, Ojougbo also alleged that the Speaker of Delta state House of Assembly Hon. Sherrif Oborevwori, “signed only the last page of the budget and returned same to the Government; the Government then fills in the blank arbitrarily and apportions appropriation at will.
“The Chairman of the Appropriation Committee of the Delta State House of Assembly and the entire members have not sighted the budget break down and estimates as the conventional practice, the actions of the Speaker with the active connivance of the Government amounts to issuance of a blank 2017 budget and appropriation for Delta State.”
He challenged anybody in the state government or among the state lawmakers who has the budget details to make it available within 24 hours.
“Mr. President, I dare any member of the Delta State House of Assembly to produce a copy of the approved budget estimate signed by the Chairman Appropriation Committee, the Clerk and the Speaker, let any member display same on any website.”
While lamenting that the state (Delta) is dying gradually, Ojougbo appealed to President Buhari to “Kindly direct the EFCC, DSS, ICPC and Code of Conduct to investigate” the state.
“Mr. President, I humbly on behalf of the good people of Delta State plead and solicit of you to passionately cause and direct the relevant Government Agencies to investigate the above allegation against the Delta State House of Assembly.
“I want to assure you, as the 2019 general election draws near, that over two (2) million votes are at stake in Delta State, your reward for addressing the fraud in Delta State shall be total unequivocal support for you and your Government and your Great Party the APC.”
But reacting to the allegations, Charles Ihiedu, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, denied all the allegations, saying the budget was publicized when it was passed into law, saying that “I will advise my brother Ojougbo that if he want to play an opposition politics he should play it clean and not to thrive on frivolities.”
