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What Game Is The EFCC Playing With Governor Odili? By Senior Fyneface
Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Thursday 7 December 2006, stormed the Arik Air Aviation Centre, where they interrogated top officials of the new airline over the ownership structure and the source of funding for the new airline.
In a related development, the EFCC also stormed Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital where the commission arrested the Secretary to the State Government, the Commissioners for Finance and Works, the State Accountant General amongst other top government officials. The commission allegedly froze the account main accounts of the state government. Interesting also, one of the accounts of Raymond Dokpesi, the part owner of Dar Communications and the director –general of Odili campaign organization was frozen
Also, the Commission under the same investigation stormed a Port Harcourt-based power engineering firm, Rockson Engineering, and arrested five directors of the company. The Accountant and the Cashier were also arrested and whisked away to Lagos while one of the big men in the company allegedly escaped.
EFCC officials told newsmen in Lagos that they were investigating Rockson Engineering for the purchase of aircrafts for the Rivers State Government at an over priced cost while the remaining sum meant for the purchase was put in personal and political accounts though they did not disclose who or which party owns the political account.
In its explanation, the Rivers State Government through its Commissioner for Information, Magnus Abe acknowledged that some top officers of the state government were arrested and have made their statements, returned to Port Harcourt and have been going about their official functions while others are awaiting their turn to respond. He however observed that “EFCC had earlier invited some State functionaries before, and wondered why the present invitation for inquiry should attract the kind of rumours making the round. It was nothing out of the ordinary as some who reported on time and made statements had been released.”
The Chief Image maker of Arik Air in his explanation of the EFCC raid claimed that “Arik Air as an indigenous company is proud to be a beneficiary of the Federal Government’s economic reform programme, which has made it possible for genuine Nigerian investors such as Sir Arumemi-Johnson to access funds from international financial institutions.
“This in turn has facilitated the launch of a truly Nigerian airline with new aircraft and the highest standards of safety and reliability. This is evidenced by the fact that Arik has entered into service three new CRJ900 aircraft, two of which have been financed by an international export credit agency following rigorous due diligence.”
Certain things are really not very clear in this soap-opera by the EFCC. First, it was alleged that the account of the Rivers State Government has been frozen by the EFCC. Though there is no way anybody can confirm this independently, but if it is true, then it is proper for any concerned Riversman/Nigerian to ask: What has the EFCC’s investigation of Arik Air got to do with the accounts of the Rivers State Government’s main account? Did the EFCC in the course of its investigations trace the actual funding for the purchase of several brand new aircrafts by Arik Air to public funds that was supposed to belong to the Rivers people? Curiously also, when the image maker of Arik Air declared that all the money for the purchase of brand new aircrafts was sourced offshore, he failed to mention the sources for the international export credit granted to Arik Air. Who brokered the deal between Arik Air and the aircraft manufacturer? What is the relationship between the new spate of purchase of brand new commercial aircrafts by Arik Air and an earlier purchase of an air ambulance by the Rivers state governor, Dr Odili? Are there common factors both in the manufacture, credit negotiations, insurance etc?
Remarkably, Arik Air is a privately- owned Nigerian Company with a board of directors headed by Sir J.I Arumemi-Johnson who incidentally is also the founder of Rockson Engineering Company Limited a power engineering firm that has being active in Governor Peter Odili’s independent power project after the governor parted ways with Negris Engineering, another Nigerian power engineering firm.
There are serious speculations that Arik Air is owned by the Governor of Rivers and a very top level government functionary in the Presidency. This speculation was almost a confirmed truth at the launching ceremony of the airline in Lagos.
Although it may be taken as a drunken talk, a very top - level government official in the Presidency during the official launching of Arik Air in Lagos unguardedly disclosed to a journalist (unknown to her) the true ownership structure of this sudden-star Arik Air. She said “Arik Air is owned by President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Peter Odili of the oil-rich Rivers state.”
Back to Sir Arumemi-Johnson, the Chairman of the Board of Arik Air. His other company, Rockson Engineering, has been the sole executor of the Rivers State Independent Power Project. This particular company was responsible for the procurement, installation and operation of the Trans-Amadi Gas Turbine, the Omoku Gas Turbine and the new turbines allegedly installed at the site of the Eleme gas turbine station which the Odili government inherited from OMPADEC. Interestingly enough, none of these projects had definite cost figures pegged to it. It has remained an open secrete that the controversial or rather conflicting cost figures released by the Rivers state government was one of the major issues that caused the disagreement between the Late Marshal Harry and the Rivers state governor.
So truth be told, there can be no proper or sincere investigation of the funding source of Arik Air without a coupled investigation of the entire Rivers State Independent Power Project especially the Trans Amadi and Omoku projects. This may explain why EFCC has extended its dragnet into Rockson Engineering and the accounts of the Rivers State Government.
However, what is very interesting or rather curious in the entire drama is the genuine motives of the EFCC Chairman Mr Nuhu Ribadu in going ahead to arrest close associates or rather appointees of the Rivers State governor when it is a known secrete that any attempt to harass Dr Odili would obviously translate into dragging-in President Obasanjo as the two did and are still doing so many things especially shady or rather blurred business deals together.
At a press
conference called by the spokesperson for the Rivers State Government, Mr
Magnus Abe “to clarify the issue which had started getting wings to avoid
misinformation and rumours”, he frankly and correctly explained that “It
is unclear at this time the purpose, extent and intent of the
investigations. However given the highly charged political atmosphere of
this time, we appeal to members of the public to avoid undue
sensationalism and rumour mongering until the facts become available.” So could it be rightly said that the EFCC boss is acting out a script handed over to him by his boss – President Obasanjo or is he pursuing his own agenda? Is the current investigation involving Rivers state Government a grand gimmick to deceive Nigerians into believing that the EFCC has gone into the state, thoroughly investigated Odili, the President’s godson as claimed and found nothing to incriminating to warrant the arrest and/or prosecution of the President’s partner in unclear business deals?
Another possibility could also be that President Obasanjo never in his wildest imagination expected that Dr Odili would have garner the level of support which he currently enjoys from his nationwide spending spree or rather tour. Could the President be scared of Odili actually picking the PDP ticket which would obviously resolve the crisis in the party and ultimately kill the President ever-alive third term ambition? Or are we seeing the real man- Obasanjo in action betraying someone (as he has always done) who trusted and worked for him to remain in power against all odds? That the President does not forgive and forget is an established fact that is as sure as death. The President may not have forgiven Odili for his underground roles in foiling the third term agenda and may see the opportunity of using the EFCC against as a payback.
Whichever way this entire drama goes, Nigerians are watching and waiting to hear from the EFCC and obviously, the outcome of all these would be very interesting.
SENIOR FYNEFACE ELELEWON STREET, GRA II PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE.
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