The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo state on Tuesday, says former Governor Emeka Ihedioha wouldn’t seek redress in court to stop the state House of Assembly probe of the alleged N19.63 billion missing local government funds.
The contentious interim audit report of the state auditor general for local government covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 2019.
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The state assembly had last week referred the interim audit report to the House Committee on Public Accounts withoout any PDP lawmaker attending plenary, despite the petition by the PDP lawmakers to the Speaker of the House, Chiji Collins, complaining about the lopsided composition of the committee.
The party said that out of the alleged missing N19.63 billion local government funds, the Ihedioha administration would only account for N3.7 billion between June and December 2019, while the administration of Rochas Okorocha would account for N16 billion expended from January -May 2019.
Addressing journalists at a news conference in Owerri, the state capital, the party’s state working committee said Ihedioha only went to court to establish whether the rule of law, due process and fair play were applied in the probe process by the assembly.
The party’s state Secretary, Ray Emeana, who addressed journalists, explained that Ihedioha sought for the court’s intervention following obvious breaches in the processes and procedures of the purported probe.
“Ihedioha would want the court to determine whether the procedure for investigation is consistent with Sections 128, 129 and even 125 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 129 (1) of the Imo state Local Government Administration Law, that stipulates the procedures for auditing of the accounts of local governments.
“It is imperative for the court to clarify whether the composition of the Public Accounts Committee of the Imo state House of Assembly for investigation is in line with the relevant extant laws, parliamentary rules, conventions and procedures, and whether fair hearing would be afforded the ex-governor,” Emeana submitted.
The PDP insisted that the invitation of officials of the Ihedioha administration by the state assembly to explain the whereabouts of the reported missing local government funds is akin to kangaroo proceedings.
“Indeed, the debate of the motion to investigate the interim audit report at the House of Assembly showed bias and a clear premeditated case of witch-hunt, without any pretense to impartiality and objectivity.
“The matter was referred to the Public Accounts Committee that had no single member of the PDP as committee member.
“The minority caucus of the PDP in the state House of Assembly petitioned the speaker to reconstitute the committee and not only include PDP members, but to make a PDP member chairman as has been the precedent, convention and procedures to ensure fairness and transparency, but the speaker refused,” the PDP spokesman added.
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