EFCC Arrests Ebonyi Governor’s Brother, Two Others over N400m Campaign Fund

Senator Iroegbu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday arrested one Austin Umahi, brother to the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, along with two others named Chinyere Egwuche and Mabel Dikibo over a N400,000,000 slush fund linked to the 2015 presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A source from the anti-graft agency said that suspects, all staff of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort, were arrested, following their refusal to collect and honour invitation for questioning in an ongoing investigation involving both companies.

The source explained that while Austin Umahi doubles as the Chairman of both companies, Chinyere Egwuche and Marbel Dikibo are also signatories to the companies’ accounts.

Investigations by the commission allegedly revealed that the sum of N400,000,000 was released by the Director of Finance, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, to the PDP in Ebonyi State, for the 2015 presidential election.

It was however discovered that the said fund was moved from Fidelity Bank, Abakaliki on March 27, 2015, where it was initially deposited to an Access Bank, Abakaliki account, where one Maxwell Umahi further moved N100,000,000 and N300,000,000 respectively into the accounts of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn LaPalm Royal Resort respectively.

According to the EFCC, “One of the suspects, Chinyere Egwuche, subsequently withdrew the N300 million paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm, which according to her, was used to finance further construction of Osborn La-Palm Hotels in Abakaliki, Uburu and Port - Harcourt, while the N100 million paid into the account of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited was transferred to a certain David Umahi Faith Foundation.”