Okorocha’s aide speaks on senator’s interrogation by EFCC

Sam Onwuemeodo, the media aide to the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has confirmed that Mr Okorocha was being quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported Tuesday’s arrest of Mr Okorocha by the EFCC operatives over multiple corruption allegations.

Mr Okorocha, who is now a senator, was arrested at about 4 p.m. at his Unity House private office in Abuja, sources familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES.

Why he was arrested- Aide

Mr Okorocha’s media aide, Mr Onwuemeodo, said the senator’s arrest was based on an old petition written by the Imo State Government.

“I don’t think EFCC has a new matter with Okorocha,” Mr Onwuemeodo told PREMIUM TIMES, Tuesday night.

“Remember that after he left as governor, the (Imo) state government wrote petitions against him, the EFCC came and investigated this matter.

“The matter between Okorocha and EFCC has been pending in various courts, it is not a new matter,” he said.

“Unless they must have invited him to come and clarify one or two issues,” he added.

The senator was still being quizzed by the EFCC, as of 8:24 p.m.

“Everybody is here, including his lawyers,” his media aide said.

“At the end of the day, when they finish talking with him, we can now know what to do.”

Unending conflict

Since he left office as governor in 2019, Mr Okorocha has been having a running battle with his successor, Governor Hope Uzodinma, who accused him of misgovernance and corruption during his tenure.

Both men are members of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.

On February 21, the former governor was arrested by the police for unsealing a hotel owned by his wife but which was shut by the Imo State government. He was later released.
In November 2020, the EFCC’s zonal office in Enugu arraigned Lasberry Anyanwu, a former commissioner who served under Mr Okorocha.

He was charged with stealing and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N180 million.