From James Ojo, Abuja, Petrus Obi, Enugu and Emmanuel Uzor, Abakaliki
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, said it arrested Austin Umahi, believed to be a brother to the governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, over alleged involvement in a N400 million scam linked to former president Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 re-election campaign.
Two others identified as Chinyere Egwuche and Mabel Dikibo are also in EFCC’s net.
However, Umahi said talks about his arrest was “false, unfortunate and of no effect.”
The suspects, all staff of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort, were arrested, following refusal to honour invitation by the anti-graft agency, for questioning in an ongoing investigation involving both companies.
A statement from the Zonal Office of the EFCC signed by Theresa Nwosu noted that while Umahi doubles as the Chairman of both companies, Egwuche and Dikibo are signatories to the companies’ accounts.
Investigations by the Commission revealed that the N400 million was released by then Director of Finance of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, to PDP Ebonyi State, for the 2015 presidential election.
The said fund was moved from Fidelity Bank, Abakaliki on March 27, 2015, to an Access Bank, Abakaliki account, where one Maxwell Umahi further moved N100 million and N300 million into the accounts of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort respectively.
Egwuche subsequently withdrew the N300 million paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm, which according to her was used to finance further construction of Osborn La-Palm Hotels in Abakaliki, Uburu and Port Harcourt, while the N100 million paid into the account of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited was transferred to a certain David Umahi Faith Foundation.
Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said though investigation was still ongoing, the companies have been traced to Governor Umahi.
But Austin Umahi described the news of his arrest as “false, unfortunate and of no effect.”
According to him, “it’s unfortunate that anyone could link me with former President Goodluck Jonathan campaign funds when in the first place I was not a member of the campaign organisation both in the state and national levels.
“It is one of those journalistic rascality; it is therefore null, void, unfounded and ineffective and only good for trash can.”