The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has firmly denied claims that former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is receiving preferential treatment due to his recent high-profile defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a pointed rebuttal delivered during a press conference marking his second anniversary as EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede emphasized the agency's commitment to impartiality, vowing that the ongoing investigation into Okowa's alleged financial misconduct will proceed without political interference.
Olukoyede, speaking through Sylvanus Tahir, the EFCC's Director of Legal and Prosecution and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), addressed the swirling rumors head-on.
The allegations, which have gained traction in political circles and social media, suggest that Okowa's April 2025 defection, alongside Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and much of the state's PDP machinery, was a calculated move to evade scrutiny over massive financial improprieties during his 2015–2023 tenure.
"It’s not true," Olukoyede declared via Tahir, directly referencing the "jump ship" narrative. "To the best of my knowledge, that case [Okowa's] is still undergoing investigation. And in due course, justice will be served."
He emphasised on the EFCC's deliberate pace, warning against rushed prosecutions that could undermine outcomes.
"We have had situations where cases were rushed to court, and the outcomes were not always good. So we would like to do a thorough job. When we go to court, Nigerians will see what the case is all about."
The chairman's remarks come against a backdrop of intense speculation. Okowa, who served as the PDP's vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, faces EFCC probes into the alleged diversion of over N1.3 trillion from Delta State's 13% oil derivation funds, as well as unaccounted N40 billion invested in shares of UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.
Additional rumors of a N500 billion "refund" to the state as a shield against prosecution were swiftly dismissed by Okowa's aides in May, who insisted the former governor had cooperated fully with investigators and was unafraid of the process.
Okowa himself addressed the probe in late April, during an Arise News interview shortly after the defection, asserting his administration's strong performance and labeling the petitions as "malicious and politically motivated."
He was briefly arrested by the EFCC on November 4, 2024, but released after surrendering his international passport.
Delta communities, particularly oil-rich host areas like Kokodiagbene in Warri South-West, have since urged the EFCC not to let Okowa's APC alignment compromise the inquiry, demanding transparency on the missing derivation funds meant for local development.
The defection itself, described by Oborevwori's Chief Press Secretary Festus Ahon as a "joint decision" for Delta's benefit, has been hailed by APC figures as a boost for President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
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