EFCC accused Governor Matawalle of diverting about N70 billion he sourced as loan from a bank purportedly for executing projects across the local governments in Zamfara State.
A media aide to Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamafara State said Thursday his principal would not react to the allegations of N70 billion fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier Thursday that the EFCC was investigating the governor for allegedly diverting about N70 billion he sourced as loan from a bank purportedly for executing projects across the local governments in the state.
When contacted on Thursday, Mr Matawalle's Special Adviser on Media, Publicity and Enlightenment, Zailani Bappa, said the governor was at the tail end of his tenure and would not respond to EFCC's allegations.
"The governor is finishing his term in two weeks' time. I do not see any reason why he should react to EFCC's allegations," Mr Bappa said in a short telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday.
Mr Matawalle has about 10 days to spend in office as his tenure ends on 29 May. He will lose his immunity from prosecution when he leaves office.
Mr Bappa who said he was learning of the allegations against his principal from this reporter, noted that the EFCC as a federal government agency was at liberty to accuse anyone of wrongdoing.
The EFCC's announcement of the investigation of Mr Matawalle came barely 24 hours after the outgoing governor had attacked the commission.
Mr Matawalle had on Wednesday advised the EFCC to extend its investigations to Nigeria's presidency and other top federal functionaries instead of focusing attention on outgoing governors.
He also asked the EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, to come clean on disposal of seized proceeds of corruption as well as plea bargain procedures on his watch.
Reacting to the governor's statement, Osita Nwajah, EFCC's Director of Public Affairs, on Thursday, in Abuja, disclosed that Mr Matawalle whose four-term as governor ends on 29 May, allegedly diverted N70 million from the Zamfara State coffers.
This newspaper earlier reported how the outgoing governor allegedly cornered the funds that were received as a loan from a commercial bank.
Matawalle's outburst is corruption fighting back
Alerting Nigerians to what described as the plots by some persons to discredit the anti-corruption agency's efforts in tackling sleaze, Mr Nwajah said Mr "Matawalle's outburst is product of paranoia- an uncomfortable exertion arising from the heat of EFCC's lawful activities."
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He said every political transition era since EFCC's creation has been trailed by vicious attacks against the agency by persons who are under its investigation.
He explained that the governor's tirade had nothing to do with EFCC's transparency in assets recovery and disposal.
"Contrary to the claims by Matawalle, the Commission supervised an asset disposal exercise that was widely acclaimed as the most transparent in the country's history. Proceeds of the open and transparent exercise have since been remitted into the coffers of the Federal Government, and are being deployed in the provision of infrastructure for Nigerians."
The commission further accused Mr Matawalle of hypocrisy for criticising its plea bargain procedure of "which he has been a beneficiary."
Mr Nwajah revealed that Mr Matawalle's investigation by the commission "is the source of anxiety in Government House, Gusau, with the governor in mortal dread of his fate once he steps down as governor on May 29."
Mr Matawalle's tenure in office is marked by escalation of insecurity with bandits freely kidnapping for ransom and sacking communities of residents.
