Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State is in hot soup.

A group, Delta Centre for Integrity and Good Governance has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate an alleged payment of $3 million by the Governor to some senior officials of the Peoples Democratic Party as part of lobby efforts to clinch the party’s 2023 Vice President’s slot.

A statement issued and signed by Comrade Stanley Oshiovorie said:

“The alleged $3 million is the money of the Delta people being diverted for selfish political motives.”

“The group is calling on the EFCC to save the people of Delta State and recover the $3 million which it alleged was already being shared among the PDP leaders in the name of allocating the VP slot to the Delta State Governor.”

“It is the Delta people’s money and it must be recovered. Instead of using our state money for development, they are using it for the highest bidder.”

“The said $3 million is meant to influence key decision-makers, who the party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his team, may likely consult before arriving at a concrete and acceptable person.”

“While $1 million of the alleged money is earmarked to lobby members of the inner circle of the party’s National Working Committee, the other $2 million is being projected to lobby northern elders.”

“It is Delta people’s money and it must be recovered. Instead of using our state money for development, they are using it for the highest bidder.”

“The money was part of the cash set aside by Okowa to be used for his earlier planned presidential ambition after he decided not to run for the Senate. Okowa recently boasted that only God can stop him from becoming Atiku’s running mate.”