The Human Rights Restoration Movement, under the Chairmanship of Com. (Barr.) Ifeanyi William Agholor who also is the Publicity Secretary of Nigeria Bar Association, Agbor branch, rose from an emergency meeting, held on Wednesday, November, 11, 2009 at its National headquarters, 31 Memeh Street, Boji-Boji, Owa, Ika North-East Local Government Area, has warned the Executive Chairman of Ika South Local Government Area, Hon. Hilary Ibude, who was suspended from the office for 3 months by the State House of Assembly, to get ready to receive the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, I.C.P.C.
In a statement issued by the body through Ika Weekly the body carefully examined the 3 months suspension slammed on the chairman and commended the State House of Assembly for the bold step taken. "We encourage them to set up a committee to investigate the abnormalities which also includes official corruption, mismanagement of statutory allocations from federated account, internally generated revenue, over-inflation of contracts and abuse of office. In the time past, the movement had resolved to drag the Chairman to Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Abuja for the above offenses. From records, the council Chairman has received over N2.4billion from the federated account," the movement stated. The Human Rights Chairman, Com. (Barr.) William Agholor also produced a record containing the total amount of money received by the Ika South Local Government Chairman from November 2007 to June, 2008.
The movement, from its investigation, also discovered as follows:
1. That the Council Chairman awarded contracts of about N65 million for the renovation of Ika National Hall and existing building with facilities inside.
2. That the Council Chairman used public funds in buying of personal properties running into million of naira, which include the personal house where Orikeze lived and died.
3. That the Chairman personally got the contract to buy construction equipemtn where in the Chairman bought unserviceable graders, tractors, tippers etc at exorbitant and over-inflation rate.
4. That over 80 percent of the contract sum has been paid to the contractor handling the Edike Street Road Project. Yet the contract abandoned and weeds, took over the road.
"It is unfortunate that a Council Chairman that has received over N2.4 billion from the federated account can also borrow money from various banks to pay salaries. It is appalling. The movement is no longer asking the chairman to render the account to us. Rather, he should get ready to receive Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission as his guests," the movement stated, as it expressed its resolve to uphold the fundamental principles and human rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.
The movement also used the opportunity to send kudos to Com. (Barr.) Festus Keyamo and the EFCC for the successful conviction of Olabode George and others. "This country must be sanitized and gotten rid of monumental corruption that has eaten deep into our fabrics," the movement concluded.
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