A former member of the House of Representatives from Kogi state, Dino Melaye has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the alleged illegal acquisition of 10 luxurious properties by the immediate past governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris.
Mr Melaye who led a group of protesters to the headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja asked the commission to investigate the income and expenditures of Mr Idris between May 29, 2003 and January 27, 2012.
He said this investigation will help the EFCC to understand what he referred to be “the crude accumulation of wealth and properties by the former governor beyond his combined emoluments, salaries and allowances for the period he held sway as governor.”
The ex-lawmaker asked the EFCC to act on his petition with speed.
“The same speed with which you acted on Alao-Akala, the same speed with which you acted on governor Goje, the same speed with which you also are investigating Bayelsa. We are saying that Alhaji Ibrahim Idris Abdul said that he has pocketed the EFCC and the ICPC.
“But I know that power truly belongs to the people. That Alhaji Ibrahim Idris is not above the EFCC, he’s not above the law, he’s not above this country, Nigeria.
“So we are calling for the immediate and instantaneous re-opening of his case,” Mr Melaye said while addressing his co-protesters in front of the EFCC office.
The petition which is titled “A case of corruption against the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris” and signed by Mr Melaye was later presented to Tony Orilade, a staff of the anti-graft agency who declined making any comment.
The EFCC had last month announced its intention to probe the tenure of Mr Idris.
The anti-graft agency had said that the former governor would be invited to explain how he got the money he used in acquiring six highbrow hotels in Abuja, as well as other choice property in Abuja, Lokoja and abroad.
The hotels allegedly owned by the former governor include, Gubabi Royal Hotel, Dreamland Suites, Summerest Hotel, Palmac Hotel, Executive Suite and Grand Ibro Hotel, formerly known as Ibro Hotel.
Other properties the agency claimed to have traced to Mr Idris include a mansion in the Lokoja GRA, a property in Area 8 Abuja, a property at Idahin, Kogi State, among others.
The commission said it would examine the former governor’s assets declaration forms in the course of its investigations, to determine the source of the funds he used in acquiring the properties.
The anti-graft agency had declared its intentions following a petition it had received from Mr Melaye accusing the ex-governor of gross abuse of office and diversion of public fund.
The petition, dated March 21 and entitled: Reporting a Case of Corruption against Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Immediate Past Governor of Kogi State – specifically alleged that Mr Idris amassed wealth and properties beyond his combined emolument, salaries and allowances while in office.
The petition further reads: I am eminently and constitutionally qualified to demand accountability and transparency in the management, disbursement, incomes and expenditure of Kogi State government under Idris for the period that spanned between May 29, 2003 and January 27, 2012. This is in view of his crude accumulation of wealth and properties in choice areas which are outrageously beyond his combined emolument, salaries and allowances for the period he held sway as governor and could only be attributed to abuse of privilege of office, hence this submission.
