By Ise-Oluwa Ige
ABUJA — Delta State Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, yesterday, accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of mischief in the handling of the case against former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, before it.

The leaders and elders who addressed newsmen yesterday said if the statement credited to the commission was true, then, they may be trying to cover the misdeeds of the sacked governor.

But the Commission through its spokesman, Femi Babafemi said the EFCC was not interested in the politics of Delta State.

In a petition signed by 23 members of the Forum led by Chief Edwin Clark, they accused Uduaghan of alleged fraud in the contract for the Independent Power Plant in Oghareki.

According to the Elders, over N14 billion has been spent on the IPP, yet, there is nothing on ground to show that such amount of money has been spent.

The Delta Elders said, in the petition dated 22nd of November, 2010: “We are compelled by the recent statement that emanated from your commission, widely published by major Nigerian newspapers; that your commission is not investigating Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the former illegal Governor of Delta State who without due mandate of Deltans, fraudulently occupied Government House, Asaba for three and a half years.

‘’However, we want to state that this statement is either false or your commission is misquoted. If it is true that this statement emanates from your commission, then it may have been a mischievous statement  directed to cover the facts and at the same time becloud the public from the misdeeds and corrupt act of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan.

‘’Despite the huge amount of money spent on the Independent Power Plant, various petitions show that there is nothing on ground as what is left is an empty land overgrown by bush.

‘’We are surprised that with the evidence before your commission nothing has been done  and this may send a wrong impression to the general public that are already aware of the various petitions against Dr.  Uduaghan illegal government to your commission, that we are not serious in our fight against corruption.”