Africa Press-Nigeria
The Federal High has restrained Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi and the N2bn agric loan probe panel set up by the state government from probing the Former Secretary to the State Government, Prof Bernard Odoh.
This followed an ex-parte motion filed by Mr Odoh against the Governor and the seven members of the panel of enquiry.
Also joined in the suit as first respondent is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr Odoh is asking the court to mandate the anti graft agency to probe Mr Umahi and others named in a petition he wrote alleging financial crimes relating to the 2016 Agric loan borrowed from the Central Bank by the State government.
Mr Umahi of recent has been engaged in a media war with Mr Odoh who was his former SSG in his first tenure.
Mr Odoh had resigned his appointment in 2018 citing certain irreconcilable differences with the governor.
Last month, he wrote an open later to the Mr Umahi where he criticised certain policies of the Government under the Governor.
Incensed by Mr Odoh’s criticism, Umahi fired back in a live broadcast wherein he accussed Mr Odoh of misappropriation of the N2bn Agric loan the state government borrowed in 2016.
He also instituted a panel of inquiry to probe the loan disbursement.
But Odoh, who was the Chairman of an Executive Council Committee that provided guidance for the loan disbursement, denied the allegations.
In a counter statement, Mr Odoh noted that he never handled the financial aspect of the loan disbursement.
He also accussed the governor and some of the cabinet members of being responsible for the misappropriation of the funds.
Odoh also rejected the panel of enquiry, which he claimed was made up of appointees and cronies of the Mr Umahi. He accussed the panel of bias alleging that it was set up primarily to cook up indictment against him.
He therefore petitioned the EFCC urging the anti graft agency to carry out an in-depth forensic investigation into the loan management and disbursement.
Not done, Mr Odoh filled a suit at the Federal High Court, Owerri Division urging the court to mandate the EFCC to probe the loan disbursement.
He followed it up with a motion ex parte seeking to restrain Umahi from probing him.
