BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

The Contracts/Consultancy Review Committee (CCRC) constituted by Ekiti State Government has recommended that the immediate past administration in the state led by Engr Segun Oni should refund the sum of N5.4 billion to the state government account

The committee, equally advised the state government to explore all legal means by inviting anti graft bodies like Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, ICPC, including courts to compel Engr Oni and others so indicted to refund the money to the government purse.

In a swift reaction, Oni however said the current administration in the state is exhibiting thuggery, crudity, concoction of lies and smuttiness that their party is noted for

Engr Segun Oni,and Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor.

According to the draft white paper on the reports of the Contracts/Consultancy Review Committee (CCRC) constituted by Ekiti State Government and led by Engr Eben Alade, a former Commissioner during the administration of Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo in the state, the affected 11 contracts where Oni led administration was allegedly said to have perpetrated fraud include the dualization of Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Road,Igede -Eyio- Iworoko Road

Others are , the cross-boundary roads, construction of five new state secretariat buildings, new House of Assembly complex, cassava revolution scheme and purchase of 600 cows from South Africa

for Ikun Dairy Farm.

The committee further said it equally discovered fraud in the award of contracts for the Ado-Ekiti solar powered street lights, boundary roads with neighbouring states, designs of most road and housing projects.

Oni was also alleged to have defrauded Ekiti people through the Government House water reservoir project, the Deputy Governor’s Office project, among others..

The committee therefore recommended that the Kayode Fayemi-led administration must use all legal means to compel Oni to refund a total sum of N5, 419, 506, 264.55 to the coffers of the state government.

The scam was said to have been perpetrated by the ousted regime in form of overpayments,

non-utilization of monies released. The committee also urged government to carry out in-depth re-evaluation of all ongoing capital projects with a view to implementing them in phases.

The panel further declared in the White Paper that the wholesale implementation of over 2,731 capital projects within the same period (May 2007-October 2010) was unrealistic, wasteful as “this in no small measure affected the quality and timely delivery of the projects.”

Meanwhile, the state government, under Section 17, Sub-Section 3 of the draft white Paper expressed regret that the Oni-led regime defrauded the people of the state and has directed the Ministry of Justice to explore all lawful means to recover what belongs to Ekiti people from Oni and its cronies.

In the white paper just released based on the committees findings, the Ekiti State government saysthat;

“Government agrees with the observation of the CCRC on the corrupt and fraudulent disposition of Engr. Segun Oni’s administration.

“Government notes that the infraction on due process and fiscal discipline were deliberately perpetrated against the commonwealth of the people of Ekiti State apparently for personal enrichment and

therefore directs the Ministry of Justice to recover from Engr. Segun Oni, severally or jointly with other identified in the CCRC report.”

It described Oni regime as one of the most corrupt and fraudulent contract administrations in the history of Ekiti State, the panel noted that over 90 per cent of the contracts awarded turned out to be

scams as they were not subjected to due process mechanisms.

“Engr. Segun Oni presided over one of the most corrupt and fraudulent Contract Administrations in the history of Ekiti State. His administration infracted on due process leading to unpardonable and

alarming waste of scarce resources.

“The administration embarked on contract bazaar by awarding a total of 2,731 contracts within a space of three years without fiscal discipline and proper consideration for the quantum of money available to government,” the white paper said.

They are unserious

– Oni

Meantime, the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni has dismissed the allegation of sharp corrupt practices, asking Ekiti State government to drag him to anti graft agencies.

According to the statement signed by Wale Ojo Lanre on behalf of the former governor in Ado Ekiti yesterday lashed at Fayemi led administration for waiting for seven good months before concocting a story of fraud against Engr Oni led government in the state.

In a statement made available to Vanguard yesterday, Oni said; “It is painful that Ekiti State is obviously in the hands of unserious people with saw-dust brains, whose understanding of governance does not go beyond the exhibition of thuggery, crudity, concoction of lies and smuttiness that their party is noted for.

‘’If not, they won’t be making allegations of fraud against a government that they took over from seven months ago. More so that the government it took them seven months to find their concocted evidence of fraud against was terminated abruptly with no opportunity for any official of the government to tidy up their records.

‘’However, let it be said that we on this side do not have time to bandy words with them because even a five year old child in Nigeria of today knows where to go if he has evidence of corruption against anyone.Definitely not the pages of newspapers!

‘’Until they are courageous enough to approach the appropriate anti corruption agency with their so-called evidence of fraud, we will continue to see their ranting as that of a group of people who have

not been able to add a single block to the building of Ekiti State since they were foisted on the State seven months ago, and are only out to cover-up their failure.”

Oni further berated the present regime in the state for feeding the people with tissue of lies, noting that the allegation of N40 billion earlier made against Oni could not be substantiated

‘’Besides, when they came out with their N40 billion debt concoction, we challenged them to publish the details. Up till now, they are yet to concoct the details together. Now it is another N5.4 billion. This is a shame and we pity Ekiti State for this calamity of governance that has befallen it,” the statement said.