Eleven oyo commissioners to face probe over N 8.2bn fraud

ELEVEN Oyo State Commissioners are under probe for alleged mismanagement of about N8.2billion.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has invited the commissioners for interrogation.

Also invited to Abuja by the anti-graft agency are all the accountants and auditors of all the ministries in the outgoing Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala administration.
Commissioner for Environment Mr. Mukaila Aborode has demanded from the commission’s “a defined focus” of investigation.
The invitation of the commissioners followed the receipt of five petitions against the administration. In the petitions are allegations of diversion of local government funds, mismanagement of Excess Crude Funds and award of contracts.
ICPC operatives have been in Ibadan since last Tuesday to see the officials.
Some of those invited are commissioners for Finance, Works, Health, Agriculture, Education, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Environment, Commerce and the Accountant-General.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We got five petitions against the Oyo State government and we decided to invite the commissioners in charge of the ministries.
“Many of the petitions have to do with mismanagement of Excess Crude Funds and state resources to the tune of over N8.2billion.
“We also asked the commissioners to make a list of all projects awarded in the state from 2008 to date; the minutes of the State Tenders Board, all payment vouchers, and list of companies that got contracts.
“But, instead of appearing before the commission, they started giving excuses. We learnt that the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Olayiwola Olakojo, asked them not to report to the ICPC because the scope of investigation was not well-defined in the invitation letter.
“From the look of things, we will have no choice but to arrest the commissioners, if they don’t report before Friday.
“We have reports that some of them may relocate abroad before the May 29 handover date.”
The source added: “We have conducted discreet preliminary investigations on the petitions and we need to interact with the commissioners.”
The Resident Media Consultant to ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti, confirmed that the agency “is looking into some issues in Oyo State, but I do not have the details”.
Aborode confirmed the invitation yesterday.
He said: “The ICPC operatives came to Oyo State and brought some letters of invitation to all commissioners, demanding a list of projects awarded from 2008 to date.
“The letters of invitation did not include specific projects. They just demanded for documents concerning letters of award, money allocated to the ministries and records of contracts. They asked us to produce these records within 24 hours.
“The matter was reported to the governor and the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Olayiwola Olakojo. The SSG invited the operatives and told them that the documents they are demanding are classified documents, which only the governor can authorise.
“Later, the state government directed the commissioners to ask ICPC to be specific on what they want. Once they have done the proper thing, the commissioners will release all the documents through the Office of the SSG. 
“In any ideal society, if you are investigating, you must define the focus. If there is no focus, what are they investigating?
“We have no hidden agenda; this administration has a clean record which no one can smear through frivolous petitions.”
The Special Adviser on Communication to the Governor, Chief Dotun Oyelade, said:  “The records which the ICPC requested are the same being utilised by the Joint Transition Committee. The government does not want to inhibit the work of the transition committee.
“Neither does it want to appear to be stalling the transition process hence the need to conclude the work first and this has been virtually done.”

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