Paris/London Club Refunds: Nwoko petitions CCB to investigate 30 govs, FCT for non-remittance of money to LGAs

The Chairman/CEO, Linas International, Prince Ned Nwoko, has petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, asking for an investigation of 30 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, minister for allegedly failing to remit $3.1 billion paid to their local government areas, in respect of the Paris/London Club refunds.

Nwoko’s complaint to the CCB chairman, Professor Muhammad Isah, border partly on gross abuse of power and conflict of interest by the authorities at the subnational government.

In the complaint to the Chairman, CCB, Nwoko’s company, engaged in development consultancy, said the refunds were a judgment sum in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013, on gross abuse of power and conflict of interest by public officers.

“The above issues and facts form part of my present complaint against all the state governors including the FCT, excluding Delta, Bauchi, Benue, Kwara and Ondo State governors, of the Federation,” he was quoted to have said in a report by Vanguard newspaper.

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The letter read in part: “The factual basis for this complaint arises from the judgment in the suit between Linas International Limited, Local Government Areas of Nigeria and Association of Local Government Areas Nigeria, ALGON, against the Federal Government and Ors., as well as the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF’s recent attempt to set aside the above seven-year-old judgment, which the Federal Government had enforced through the Federal Ministry of Finance, regarding refunds to local governments.

“The said refunds to local governments were paid to and received by the state governments, acting through their umbrella body NGF, which interfaced with the Ministry of Finance throughout the refund exercise.

“The local governments had written letters to Minister of Finance, informing her that the state governors had failed and refused to remit the monies refunded through them.”