Former Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has finally opened up on N48 billion scandal.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused him of mismanaging N48 billion security votes.
However, Theodore Orji confessed that he collected N38.8 billion as security votes during the period and not N48billion as alleged by the EFCC.
He said; “I shared much of the N38.8 billion with members of the State House of Assembly, my security informants and traditional rulers.”
“I also gave part of the money to military units, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and security agencies as statutory allocations.”
“I gave successive members of the State House of Assembly N5.760 billion, at N60 million per month, in the eight years.”
“I paid N75million monthly to security informants in 15 of the 17 local government areas of the state within the same period. The informants got a total of N7.200billion between 2007 and 2015.”
“Some of the security agencies received N2 million per month. I don’t have a comprehensive list of all the beneficiaries of the largesse because the Government House staff, Felix who used to disburse the cash is dead.”
“I did not ask for the list from Felix at the expiration of my tenure as governor. I only issued directives to Felix on how to share the security votes.”
“I never collected cash either from the Director of Finance or the Cashier in Government House.”
“I received N370 million monthly as security votes in 2007 and N410 million monthly from 2008 to 2015. From my assumption of office up to my exit the funds were distributed in cash.”
“There were also statutory funds to the security agencies. The first Speaker in 2007 and the last Speaker in my second term confirmed the receipt of N60million monthly from my security votes.”
“All disbursements by the late Felix were based on my directives. Usually, the funds were brought by the Director of Finance (DF) in batches.”
“The DF would inform my on how much had come and would then be kept in the accounts. I will in turn, issue directive to the late Felix on what to disburse and to whom.”
“Felix comes to show me how disbursement is made. After disbursement, Felix keeps the list for safety. As I was leaving the Government House, I didn’t ask him for the list.”
“I never personally collected any cash from the votes whether from the Director of Finance or Government House cashier. The funds were channeled through Felix on my directives.”