The investigation into former governor Peter Odili has been revived by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu a few weeks ago over the political unrest in Rivers.
Politics Nigeria remembers that almost 16 years prior, at the close of his second term, Odili had secured a permanent court order to prevent the EFCC from looking into him.
This publication is aware that Odili is being questioned about how more than N100 billion entered his personal account or was spent by his government, even in spite of the ongoing injunction.
The difficulties faced by the former governor of Rivers State started under President Olusegun Obasanjo when Odili faced overwhelming odds in his bid to seek for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket.
He was purportedly terminated as a result of certain material pertaining to possible financial misconduct during his tenure.
President Bola Tinubu’s National Security Adviser (NSA) is Nuhu Ribadu, the former head of the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency detained Rotimi Amaechi, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly during Odili, in exchange for crucial information on the state’s financial activities.
In 2008, Odili swiftly petitioned a Federal High Court, where he was given a permanent injunction prohibiting the chairman of the EFCC, other operatives, and himself or any other state official from looking into the financial records of the Rivers State government.
The EFCC has finally emerged to declare that, more than 16 years later, it is focusing its attention on the purported scam involving the former governor of Rivers State.
According to sources, Odili’s decision to reopen his corruption case despite a court order may have something to do with his clear support of Governor Sim Fubara.