The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has dismissed allegations that the former governor of Delta State, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, is being protected from prosecution due to his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while assuring that justice will be served in due time.

The EFCC response through its Director of Legal and Prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir SAN, on behalf of the Commission's chair, is coming on the heels of public outcry on the delay of the anti-graft agency in prosecuting the ex-governor over the misappropriation of proceeds of N1.3 trillion from the 13 per cent derivation fund meant for the development of host communities in the State.

It would also be recalled that a Delta-born activist, Comrade (Chief) Sheriff Mulade, had recently written an open letter to the Commission to awaken it to its responsibilities of sanitising the country from corruption while raising salient questions bordering on the will power of the anti-graft agency to prosecute Okowa due to political interference.

The EFCC, during a press conference held at the Commission's headquarters to mark the second year in office of Mr. Olukoyede, stated that investigation into the alleged corruption of the former Delta State governor, Okowa, is ongoing.

He said, “Someone asked the question that it is alleged that politicians who jump ship to the ruling party are shielded. The simple answer is that it’s not true.

“I think the reference was made to the case of a former governor of Delta State. To the best of my knowledge, that case is still undergoing investigation. And in due course, justice will be served.

“We have had situations where cases were rushed to court, and the outcomes were not always good. So we would like to do a thorough job. When we go to court, Nigerians will see what the case is all about.

“There’s no attempt or intention anywhere to shield anybody on account of switching parties, certainly not under this chairman,” the Commission stated.

The EFCC while it denied the allegation of shielding Okowa, asserted that the Commission functions independently and remains free from any political influence.

Okowa, who had been arrested by the EFCC through its Port Harcourt Directorate operatives in November 2024, was also accused of embezzling an unaccounted N40 billion the former governor used to acquire shares in one of the major banks in the country representing eight per cent equity to float the offshore UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

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