May 18, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, arrested the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, over alleged contract fraud.
The Special Duty Unit of the anti-graft agency had arrested her following suspected involvement in a solar-power electrification project scam in Akwa Ibom State.
Premium Times reports that Etteh had received a N130 million from a contractor, who was awarded the contract in the state by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Sources familiar with the case told the medium that a company named Phin Jin Project Limited was awarded the contract in 2011 for N240 million.
However, there was suspicion when Etteh received N130 million, weeks after the contractor got paid a mobilisation fee for the project.
Etteh is reportedly neither a director nor a shareholder of the company on record.
The source quoted her as saying, “She is claiming the contractor repaid a debt due to her, but that is doubtful. So her claims are being scrutinised.”
The source also reportedly claimed that, “They even overpaid for the contract. Instead of N240 million, they paid N287 million. These are knotty issues she and the contractor need to explain and that is why she is being interrogated by operatives.”
There is also scepticism that the said project for which the fund was released is unlikely to have been executed.
Attempts to reach the EFCC’s Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, to confirm the development, were unsuccessful as calls and texts to his phoneline were not acknowledged.
Etteh represented the Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Constituency of Osun State, from 1999 to 2011, in the House of Representatives. She was elected Speaker between June 6, 2007 and 30th October 30, 2007, a position she lost barely four months after she was elected.
Mrs Etteh was reported to have been involved in a contract scandal. She was accused of awarding a N628 million contract for the renovation of her official residence and that of her deputy as well as the purchase of 12 official vehicles.
Her arrest came barely 24 hours after the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, was arrested by the EFCC.
The anti-graft commission arrested Ahmed Idris on Monday, over an alleged N80 billion fraud.
Uwujaren said Idris was arrested after failing to honour the Commission’s invitations to respond to issues connected to the alleged fraudulent act.
About the Author
