Corruption Allegations: PDP Chieftain Calls for Investigation of Ebonyi Commissioners
A concerned chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged security and anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate the implicated commissioners of Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru who were recently allegedly arrested on the order of the governor.
In a statement released to journalists in Abakaliki, Mazi Moses Idika, a PDP chieftain from Oshiri, Onicha Local Government Area, declared, “Enough is enough! Ebonyi’s public resources are being exploited to build private business empires.”
Recall that on the 1st of April some government officials of the state were allegedly arrested detained including Dr. Moses Ekuma (Health), Professor Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education), Hon. Victor Chukwu (Environment), Engr. Ogbonnaya Igboke (Project Monitoring), Mr. Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), and Mr. Uchenna Igwe (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs).
Additionally, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, the Executive Chairman of Afikpo North Local Government Area, was reportedly suspended.
Recent developments in Ebonyi State have raised serious concerns, prompting calls for urgent intervention to safeguard the state’s resources. According to Idika, actions from Government House Abakaliki on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, regarding the alleged arrest of six commissioners under Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration, have shed light on why the state has suffered stagnation over the past two years.
“On Tuesday, April 1, many Ebonyians initially thought the news was an ‘April Fool’ prank when reports surfaced that six commissioners had been arrested,”
Although the state government, through the Commissioner for Border Peace and Internal Security, Mr. Donatus Ilang, has denied the arrests, it has not refuted allegations that government contracts were awarded to officials and their associates in violation of procurement laws and ethical standards.
“The government’s failure to deny these allegations is a tacit admission that contracts have been funneled to officials and their cronies through backdoor arrangements,” a legal expert commented.
This situation is a direct violation of the Ebonyi State Public Procurement and Related Matters Law No. 016 of 2020, which explicitly bars public officials from participating in procurement processes due to conflicts of interest and the risk of corruption. Section 68, subsections 1-13, clearly prohibit such acts, aligning with similar laws applicable to government officials at both state and federal levels.
“The Ebonyi State Government, led by Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru, must recognize that governance is not a bazaar for rewarding political allies, family members, and cronies,” Mazi Idika stated.