The immediate past deputy governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, says following a series of petitions he wrote to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the commission has already begun a probe of Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s government.
Olanusi, who was impeached by the Peoples Democratic Party-led House of Assembly in April, said this in a statement on Wednesday.
The former deputy governor said some principal officers of the Ondo State House of Assembly had also been invited by the EFCC to explain their role in some alleged corrupt deals.
He said, “The idea behind these petitions is to let the public know what is happening in Ondo State. There are some individuals that assisted the state government in this looting and they have already been invited by the EFCC.
“Some principal officers in the House have already been invited, including top officials of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission. In the last three weeks, they have visited the EFCC about three or four times.”
The former deputy governor, who was impeached shortly after defecting to the All Progressives Congress, said some projects, such as the residency card scheme, otherwise known as Kaadi Igbeayo, were fraudulent.
When asked to explain why he did not expose the alleged corruption by the Mimiko administration while he was still in office, Olanusi said he tried to “show the governor the light” but the governor refused to listen to his advice.
Olanusi, who is now a member of the APC Board of Trustees, said the probe would uncover many shady activities of the government, including extra-budgetary spendings and dubious bank loans.
“For instance, the national conference, a lavishly sponsored Federal Government project, gulped a whooping sum of N113, 285,000 of the state’s resources,” he said.
But in a swift reaction, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, has described Olanusi’s allegations as baseless.
Akinmade , who spoke on behalf of Mimiko, said Olanusi should allow the EFCC to act on the petition he wrote and come out with its findings if indeed he has a genuine case against the government.
He said, “The EFCC is an agency of government with the statutory responsibility of investigating corrupt allegations. Instead of jumping the gun, Olanusi should allow the agency do its job, except he is telling the world that the agency is not competent or reliable enough to handle his petitions without any bias.
“The Ondo State Government wonders if Olanusi’s expectation is that the graft agency should ride like an invading army, arresting and detaining everybody in Ondo State on account of his petitions.
“We hope he is not suggesting that the EFCC should become an appendage of his new party and a tool in the hands of the ruling government to threaten the opposition.
“Apparently, Olanusi is dazed as he has lost in his game as his plans to impeach his boss failed. Now , he wants something to keep him in the glare of the public as he seeks political relevance.
“Where was Olanusi when the alleged N18bn was diverted? What action did he take? Or is he just discovering the alleged graft now? What are the details of the alleged theft and what are the proofs behind his baseless claims?
“Now that he has assumed the position of the EFCC spokesperson and petitioner, Olanusi can well provide the details of his phantom theft, including what he got then as deputy governor.”
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