EFCC Freezes Account Of Oyo Assembly

• A credible source disclosed on Tuesday that the EFCC has frozen the bank account of the Oyo Assembly.

The Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday froze the account of the Oyo State House of Assembly, EKO HOT BLOG has gathered.

It was learnt that the bank account of the Oyo Assembly was frozen by the EFCC over the alleged embezzlement of N1.3 billion by the Assembly members.

It would be recalled that the EFCC had invited the Speaker of the House of Assembly and other principal members of the House over some alleged fraudulent activities perpetrated in the purchase of refurbished vehicles for lawmakers in the state.

However, a credible source in the government disclosed on Tuesday that the EFCC has frozen the bank account of the Oyo Assembly, as the anti-graft agency continues with its investigation.

According to the petition to EFCC, some of the official cars bought from the questionable fund were said to have developed mechanical faults less than six months after they were delivered to the lawmakers.

While reacting to the allegations, the House, however, said it followed due process and had nothing to hide regarding the contract.

The Speaker of the Oyo Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, in one of his reactions to the allegation, said the House would continue to support the EFCC and all government institutions to deepen transparency, accountability, and democracy.

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According to SaharaReporters, an unconfirmed source at the Oyo Assembly said the EFCC is widening its net to include constituency allocation funds, running costs, and others.

The source further disclosed that it was in a move to widen its scope that the anti-graft agency froze the Assembly’s account to prevent access to it, thereby denying the lawmakers access to funds for their monthly running cost.

The source also said the EFCC picked up some top officials of the House on Monday, July 26 in the early hours of the day and grilled them for several hours.

It was gathered that some of the developments angered some lawmakers, who against their tradition to postpone plenary sitting in the Speaker’s absence, were said to have perfected plans to go ahead with Tuesday’s plenary should Ogundoyin be absent.

Ogundoyin, who had jetted out to the United States of America (USA) before the Eid-el-Kabir holiday, surprisingly returned to Nigeria before plenary and was able to preside over legislative affairs.

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