The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, is said to be investigating Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, the immediate-past lawmaker representing Aniocha and Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, for alleged diversion of government property, The Witness reports.
It was reliably gathered that the anti-graft agency is probing the former minority leader of the Green Chamber for allegedly diverting constituency projects and converting the same to personal use while he was in the House.
As part of its investigation, the ICPC has sealed Elumelu’s multi-million-naira office building in Asaba, Delta State.
A source told our correspondent that the massive edifice was a project the former lawmaker allegedly facilitated to the constituency but converted for personal use. The project was tagged: Asaba Massacre Monument Center.
When contacted, ICPC Spokesman, Demola Bakare, said via a text message that “A project facilitated by Hon. Ndidi Elumelu, former HoR member, and which was executed by the Federal Cooperative College Oji River, Enugu State was tracked under the phase 7 CEPTI exercise.
“The project is the construction and furnishings of Asaba Massacre Monument. ICPC Delta tracking team discovered that the project has not been handed over to the government after completion, which would thus necessitate commencement of further investigation. Further investigation will commence any moment after the collation of all tracking reports from all tracking teams,” he said.
Elumelu did not respond to inquiries as at press time.
Recall, ICPC had said it intercepted and recovered the sum of N30 billion meant for constituency projects in one year.
The anti-graft agency said it made the recoveries from items listed in the budget which were reportedly diverted by some lawmakers. The ICPC added that they were uncovered under the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI) phase 7, 2024 which was carried out between December 2023 and December 2024.
Ndudi Elumelu was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. During his first two terms, he was chairman of the House Committee on Power from 2007 to 2010 and chairman of the House Committee on Health from 2011 to 2015. In 2014, he contested for the governorship primaries of Delta State which he lost, thereby losing his seat at the house to Joan Onyemaechi Mrakpor.
In 2019, he returned to the House of Representatives for a third term.
In February 2023, he lost the House of Representatives election to the Labour Party candidate, Ngozi Okolie.
©️The Witness.
