EFCC To Quiz Ekweremadu For Alleged Corruption, He Reacts

Detectives are to quiz Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu today (Tuesday) on some assets linked with him. 

He is expected at 10a.m. at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja office.

This is the second time in a week that the EFCC has invited Ekweremadu. 

According to a source, who spoke in confidence, the invitation followed Ekweremadu’s request that he should be given another day.

The source said: “We have delivered a fresh letter of invitation to Ekweremadu and he has confirmed the receipt. 

“Our detectives are expected to interrogate Ekweremadu on some assets linked with him. The EFCC is suspecting that the assets were acquired with suspicious funds.

“Some of these assets have been located in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.'

The Nation reports that Ekweremadu is said to have omitted some of these properties in his assets declaration form. EFCC detectives are believed to have been on this case in the last nine months.

Some of the apartments, allegedly being probed in the UAE, are e proper EGG1/1/114 and EGG1/1/115 Emirates Garden, Apartment DFB/12/B 1204 Park Towers, Flat 3604, MAG214 and Villa No.148, MAEEN1 The Lakes, Emirate Hills.

The others are Boulevard 3901, two flats of Burij Side Boulevard, The Signature; and Room 1903, Hotel Downtown.

Those in the UK include Flat 4 Varsity Court, Homer Street, WIH 4NW London and 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6, London.

In the United States, the properties are located in 4507 Stella Street, Bellavida Estate, Kissimmee, Florida; 2747 Club Cortile Circle, Kissimmee, Florida and 2763 Club Cortile Circle, Kissimmee, Florida.

The Federal Government had in an ex parte application through Festus Keyamo (SAN) on behalf of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIPRPP), listed the affected assets.

In the application before a Federal High Court, the government said the Deputy Senate President failed to declare the assets. 

But Ekweremadu, in a statement by his Media Office, said the the allegations were part of the 2019 election agenda.

“The attention of the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has been drawn to a motion ex-parte filed by Festus Kenyamo on behalf of the so-called Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property for an order to temporarily forfeit assets it claimed the Senator did not declare with the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.

“Senator Ekweremadu, however, wishes to state unequivocally that he declared all his assets with the Code of Conduct Bureau as required by law. 

“The so-called panel sought and obtained his Assets Declaration Form but could not look at them since it is clearly out on a vendetta and smear campaign.

“This is clearly part of the politics of 2019, and is further exposing those who colluded with the dismissed former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike and his cronies to steal and doctor his will. The Senator has, nevertheless, briefed his lawyers and will meet the panel in court.

Again, Senator Ekweremadu wishes to assure all his supporters and well-wishes that there is nothing to worry about. Like others, this will pass away.”