Ebonyi Governor’s brother, two others arrested over N400million campaign fund

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arrested one Austin Umahi, brother to the current governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, along with two others – Chinyere Egwuche and Mabel Dikibo – over a N400million slush fund linked to the 2015 presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The suspects, all staff of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort, were arrested for refusing to honour invitations by the EFCC over an ongoing investigation of both companies.

While Austin Umahi doubles as chairman of both companies, Chinyere Egwuche and Marbel Dikibo are also signatories to the companies’ accounts.

EFCC investigators alleged that the Director of Finance of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Nenadi Usman released N400million to the Ebonyi State chapter of the PDP for the 2015 presidential election.

The said fund, the investigators said, was moved from Fidelity Bank Abakaliki on March 27, 2015, to an Access Bank, Abakaliki, account, where one Maxwell Umahi further moved N100, 000,000 and N300, 000,000 respectively into the accounts of Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort respectively.

One of the suspects, Chinyere Egwuche, subsequently withdrew the N300 million paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm, which according to her was used to finance  the construction of Osborn La-Palm Hotels in Abakaliki, Uburu and Port Harcourt, while the N100 million paid into the account of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited was transferred to a certain David Umahi Faith Foundation.

Although investigation is still ongoing, EFCC operatives said the companies to which the funds were transferred were traced to the Ebonyi State governor.