Daily Independent (Lagos)
Alexandra Mede
3 July 2009
Abuja — Registrar of National Examinations Council (NECO), Promise Okpala, has written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), denying any connection with an alleged N5 billion fraud in the council.
Okpala's letter to the anti-graft body was in response to the allegation raised against him in a petition by one Clement Obioma Innocent who claimed to be a staff of NECO.
In his petition, Innocent accused Okpala and some top officials of arbitrary award of contracts, obtaining a loan of N750 million from three banks without due process, award of a N110 million contract for installation of cybercaf»s in NECO offices nationwide to one of his brothers, N.O.Okpala, and purchase of five exotic cars with public funds for personal use.
EFCC on June 24 interrogated five top officials of NECO over the allegation.
All of them in their statements to the EFCC denied any involvement in the alleged fraud.
Sources at the commission told Daily Independent that Okpala in his reply to the allegation denied the petitioner's claim of being a staff of NECO, saying "the petitioner is as fictitious as the content of the petition".
In his response to the issues raised in the petition, Okpala denied awarding any contract to his brother as alleged.
He also challenged EFCC investigators to embark on a verification tour of the examination body secretariats to confirm if it operates internet cafes in any of its offices across the country.
He also stated that the allegation of obtaining a N750 million loan without due process was false.
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