SHOCKER: UMANA ON THE SPOT!
EFCC Sets to Confiscate ex-A/Ibom SSG Illegal Bunker …Former Finance Staff Expose his Shady Deals in Ewet Housing Estate
*Revealed: Governorship Ambition of Umana Faces ‘Acid Test’
*Naira notes Donation wrapped, marked in All States Trust Bank and FCMB foils
*Exposed: Alleged Complicity of Bassey Albert, then Management Staff of FCMB
*Alleged to Siphon Funds during Victor Attah’s tenure as Finance Commissioner
* “Umana’s tenure as Finance boss between 2004 and 2007 saw the highest level of fraud and irresponsible budget implementation. He plans to use this fund for 2015 Guber Election”-Iboro Etim, retired Civil Servant
BY CLETUS ALOSIOUS/SPECIAL CRIME REPORTER, AKWA IBOM
OBONG Okon Umana, a former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government and erstwhile Commissioner of Finance is presently fighting the ‘battle of his life towards image redemption’ regarding his stewardship in those various capacities, as Nigeria’s no 1 anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has beamed its radar on this top civil servant and politician in the area of ‘money-laundering’.
Naija Standard investigation indicates that the governorship ambition of the immediate past scribe to the Akwa Ibom state government, Umana may suffer a setback following the latest move by EFCC to uncover the truth or otherwise of the presence of an underground bunker in his Ewet Housing Estate private residence where alleged ‘stolen funds’ is believed to be stored.
REVELATION
Our correspondent gathered that some members of his campaign team and another source at the
PDP national secretariat at Wadata House, have severally revealed that money they collect from him (Umana) are usually wrapped and marked with All States Trust Bank and FCMB on the naira notes.
Another source close to this embattled politician and would not want his name in the print said “Most of the marked naira notes date back to 2003. I am aware that the EFCC was alerted following alarm raised by some elders at the national party secretariat of PDP over suspicion of the wrapped All States Trust Bank and FCMB naira notes which dates back to 2003.”
Naija Standard further gathered that the former SSG may have siphoned billions of Akwa Ibom money during Attah’s tenure where he served as commissioner for finance. The money, according to the source, “were funds meant for consultation to top PDP elders and royal fathers across the country during the presidential ambition of the former governor which never saw the light of the day”.
Alleged Complicity of Bassey Albert, then Management Staff of FCMB
Umana, our correspondent learnt allegedly diverted the money and stored them in his underground bunker. The presence of 2003 FCMB marked currency on the wrapped notes further raises suspicion on the alleged complicity of the immediate past commissioner for finance, Bassey Albert who at the time served as a management staff of FCMB.
Confession of A/Ibom Retired Civil Servant
According to Iboro Etim, retired civil servant in the state, “Umana Umana’s financial war chest where he heavily relies upon to prosecute his 2015 governorship ambition could be traced to the looted funds he is believed to have siphoned from the state treasury during Victor Attah’s administration”.
Etim said that Umana’s tenure as Finance boss between 2004 and 2007 saw the highest level of fraud and irresponsible budget implementation, which saw to the flop by the Attah’s administration.
His words: “Umana was the chairman of the Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Committee, and if you ask me, show me one project they executed, I will have no response, yet billions of Naira was looted to give Victor Attah a bad name.”
The former staff of the board of internal revenue bemoaned the serial squandering and embezzlement of state funds in the state during the tenure of Attah, under the watchful eyes of Umana adding that, “and that is the same Attah that Umana is sponsoring a reception for at Asan Ibibio, who is the bigger fool here?”
The obviously angry Ibesikpo Asutan born clerical officer concluded that in an ideal setting, Umana should be cooling off in jail, because he is morally bankrupt.
He added: “Let me tell you, Umana as Finance Commissioner usually negotiated a deal with so-called contractors and pay them 80 – 90% of contract sum of which he allegedly squeezed out 50%. This leaves the contractor with almost nothing to execute the project. That is why Attah left behind more abandoned projects than any government in the history of Nigeria.”
