$12m Calabar channel dredging contract: Uzodinma can’t stop his probe by filing suit – Presidential panel

The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property said that it had been served court papers filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, but would not stop it from investigating him.

The chairman of the panel, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, had said the serving senator representing Imo West was being investigated for allegedly failing to execute a contract of $12m for the dredging of Calabar channel.

He said Uzodinma had been paid by the Nigerian Ports Authority, which was said to have awarded the contract, but failed to execute it.

Obono-Obla claimed in a statement that Uzodinma was on the run.

He said the senator had promised to appear before the panel in Abuja but sneaked out of the Federal Capital Territory only to later appear in Owerri.

“He sneaked out of Abuja and surfaced in Owerri, Imo State,” Obono-Obla stated.

He said the panel was on Wednesday afternoon served with bundle of documents by the senator’s lawyers, advising SPIPRPP panel to stop the ongoing investigation.

Obono-Obla however said the claim by the senator’s lawyers that they had filed a suit in respect of the dredging contract would not stop the probe.

He said, “Yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon I was served with a bundle of documents from his lawyers and a letter claiming that he had filed a suit concerning the contract to dredge Calabar channel so we should not investigate the case. But that is balderdash.

“The law is that a suspect cannot stop a criminal investigation by running to a court to file an action.

“He should know this type of delaying tactics is outdated in this era of change.”

He said his panel was also investigating Uzodinma for other allegations, adding that the panel had charged the governorship candidate with charges of failure to declare assets.

Obono-Obla stated, “There is another matter concerning his involvement in customs scam, which we were directed to investigate.

“Also, we have charged him with refusal to declare his assets contrary to Section 3 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act 2004.

“I expect him as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a governorship candidate of a major political party in the country, and indeed a responsible citizen, to report himself and clear himself rather than the present hide and seek game he is playing.”