EDITOR’S PICK
EKO HOT BLOG gathered that following the coming elections, aspirants have been struggling to gain tickets of their respective parties.
Every politician has presented themselves as the best candidate for the job in the 2023 race, however, some aspirants are being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for corruption charges.
Some others are been tried for other political related cases which could cost them the chance of emerging as the sole candidate for their part.
Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, a few days back was arrested by the commission after hours of invasion of his residence.
The anti-graft agency had claimed that the presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress jumped bail on corruption charges levelled against him.
In a related stand, EFCC on the 10th of March, 2022 asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to transfer the case involving N7.1 billion fraud allegedly perpetrated by Orji Uzor Kalu during his tenure as governor of Abia State, to its Lagos division.
Some other political aspirants are also battling court cases rather than focusing on their political ambition.
This online media shares a list of aspirants facing EFCC investigations and court cases.
1. Orji Uzor Kalu
The chief whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu who has the intention to return to the senate was tried alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Udeh Udeogu, a Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during his tenure as Governor.
Orji and others in the case were convicted for diverting N7.1 billion from the Abia State’s coffers in 2019.
The lawmaker and his co-defendants were, however, freed from their offences after a Supreme Court in May 2020, nullified the proceedings leading to Kalu and others’ conviction.
The Supreme Court directed the court to start the case afresh which prompted the commission to seek a transfer of the case to the Lagos division of the court on the ground that the Abuja division of the court lacks the requisite territorial jurisdiction to entertain and try the defendants in respect of the charge.
2. Rochas Okorocha
Former Governor of Imo State and presidential aspirant under the APC was arrested on Tuesday after the commission claimed that Okorocha jumped bail over corruption charges levelled against him.
The spokesman of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren disclosed that Okorocha is standing trial for a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion brought against him by the EFCC but he has refused to show up in court to answer for the case.
3. Farah Dagogo
The Governor aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, Farah Dagogo is currently in detention after the state Governor, Nyesom Wike accused him of disrupting the PDP screening of aspirants for State Assembly alongside some cultists weeks ago.
Dagogo who was declared wanted by Wike was arrested during the screening of governorship aspirants at the party secretariat in Port Harcourt.
The Governorship aspirant ever since has been remanded in the Port Harcourt correctional centre and has missed the primary election of the party which saw former Accountant-General of Rivers State, Fubara Siminayi emerges as the winner.
4. Ayodele Fayose
The presidential aspirant under the main opposition party, PDP, Ayodele Fayose is under investigation for allegedly receiving over N1.2bn from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, through a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
FURTHER READING
The money was allegedly handed over to Fayose during the build-up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.
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