AMIDST petitions against some state officials, including Governor
Timipre Sylva, operatives of the nation’s anti-sleaze agencies have
stormed Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, in continuation of
investigations into
alleged sharp practices against the governor and some public office
holders in the state.
Nigerian Tribune can authoritatively report that some operatives of
both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and those of
the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission
(ICPC), have been in the state since Thursday last week.
This development is coming barely 72 hours to the election of ward
delegates on Saturday, November 12, preparatory to the governorship
primary scheduled for November 19, just as some serving commissioners in
the state are reportedly making moves to dump Sylva and switching camp
to that of Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, who declared interest in
being the governor of the state before a mammoth crowd on Monday this
week.
At the time of this report, Governor Sylva, former Presidential
Adviser on Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe, as well as entertainment guru, Ben
Murray-Bruce, were yet to be cleared for the primary even as concerted
effort to sway President Goodluck Jonathan to the side of the embattled
governor to get the party’s clearance had met a brick wall.
A highly placed security source told the Nigerian Tribune that the
dramatic mobilisation of officials of both the EFCC and ICPC to the
state was as a result of fresh petitions which alleged that the governor
and some unnamed officials of the state were on the verge of making
hasty payments to some contractors before the governorship primary.
Affected banks, it was learnt, have also been put under close watch
by the anti-sleaze bodies in order to stop what the source called
“speedy clearance of government cheques.”
But the two anti-graft agencies spoke on the issue, with one saying
there was nothing unusual in the development. Governor Sylva said “if at
all it is true, there is no need for such,” saying, he has nothing to
hide from anybody.
Source
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