More details of a trending story of an alleged Five Hundred Million Naira (N500M) contract scam petition filed against the senatorial candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, Senator Dr. Emmanuel Uzo Onwe, All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representative candidate for Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Chief Daniel Chimezie Okeke (who is also the Chairman of Messers Express Concern International Ltd) and one Mrs Uchenna Ilomechizine as regards a Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) project, has been uncovered by ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER.
Based on what ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER gathered, the contract to the tune of N482,422,500.00 was awarded in line with the Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) Scheme of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to train 90 Niger-Delta Youths (PAP Beneficiaries) under the Niger-Delta Youths Empowerment Project on Rice, Fish and Poultry Farming for a duration of six months. The contract was awarded to Express Concern International Ltd based in Port Harcourt.
The petitioners, Concerned Indigenes of Oil Mineral Producing States Forum (COINOF) through their legal representative (Kanu Ogbonnia O & Co.), submitted a petition with the reference no. (KANUCHA/AG/DPPF/MJ/CRMCONSPCOMFELFRECSAMSAP/VOL.1/22) to the office of Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, DPPF, the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services (DSS) and Commissioner of Police Anti-Fraud Unit, calling for investigation into how the initial payment of N148, 634, 690.75 was used after the said sum was withdrawn within four working days with no proof of dedicating the money into the said project.
But in a swift reaction, Chief Daniel Chimezie Okeke have described the allegation as false and instead alleged that he protected the Federal Government and Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) from been defrauded by one Onny Igbokwe Sylvester who he claimed is the face behind the petition and also protected his company (Express Concern International Ltd) from being dragged into a fraud criminal conspiracy.
While speaking to ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER, Okeke revealed that he as a person was not involved in the said contract, but that he was approached by Onny Igbokwe Sylvester to assist Senator Dr. Emmanuel Uzo Onwe with his company details to help him facilitate a contract with the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) which he did with the intent to support a friend and kinsman.
Due to the contract, an FCMB bank account was opened which had the three of them as signatories, but that he was surprised when he discovered that Onny Igbokwe Sylvester had gone back to the bank to change the account mandate making himself the sole signatory without consultation with the real contract owner Senator Onwe and himself the company owner. DOCUMENT ATTACHED BELOW;
On discovering that, Okeke said he immediately swung into action by providing another board resolution and opening another account where the whole money was transferred into with the intent of protecting the Federal Government’s money and also protecting the integrity of his company.
He alleged that Sylvester was planning to abscond with the money to a neighboring African country immediately the money drops, but he was smart enough to do the right thing.
Okeke maintained that the complete initial contract sum is intact and that the allegation that the money has been used for his political aspiration or that of Senator Dr. Emmanuel Uzo Onwe was false as they are already making move to return the said sum to the agency in charge.
He stated that immediately the money was transferred out of the account, Onny Igbokwe Sylvester started making problem and even demanded for pay off of 15% of the total sum of the project which is N72, 750, 000 as facilitators fee which the owner of the project ‘Senator Onwe’ rejected.
“Senator Onwe is the owner of the project, Onwe did the presentation for the project and got the contract. The only role Sylvester played was to convince me to provide my company to help Onwe facilitate the project”
“This is why Onny Igbokwe Sylvester started writing petitions against me and trying to blackmail me. It will not work, i am a honest businessman and i will not allow people like him to discredit me”
On the way forward, Okeke revealed that he is withdrawing his company from the project and plans are in top gear to transfer the money back to the agency of government involved.
At the moment, the project itself have been suspended by the federal government due to the petition.
