The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has allegedly reopened the probe of former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili, few weeks after meeting with President Bola Tinubu over the political crisis in the state.
Odili had obtained a court injunction towards the end of his second tenure to stop the EFCC from probing him over 16 years ago.
However, despite the perpetual injunction, Odili has been asked to explain how over N100 billion found its way into his private account or was expended by his administration.
Odili’s travail began during the era of former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he ran for presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party and was allegedly stopped following some information bordering on financial impropriety in his administration.
The then Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly under Odili, Rotimi Amaechi, was arrested by the anti-graft agency to help with vital information on the financial transactions of the state.
Odili quickly approached a Federal High Court in 2008 and was granted a perpetual injunction stopping the EFCC, its then chairman, Nuhu Ribadu and other operatives from investigating the financial books of the Rivers State government, including himself or any official of the state on the subject matter.
According to BusinessDay, after over 16 years, EFCC, under the new leadership of Ola Olukayode, has now come up to say that it was beaming its searchlight on the alleged fraud involving the former Rivers State governor.
Sources are convinced that the move to revisit Odili’s corruption case despite pending court injunction may not be unconnected with his obvious stand behind the incumbent Governor of Rivers, Siminilayi Fubara.
Odili had in December 2023 said he was satisfied with the decisions of Governor Fubara since his inauguration in May 2023.
He made this assertion at the 3rd Convocation and 6th Founders’ Day ceremonies of Pamo University of Medical Sciences, where he said, “the governor has hit the ground running. A good dance begins with the first step. Your first steps are correct.
“There is no doubt that you will dance well.”