The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has placed the immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on its watch list. EFCC, i
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has placed the immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on its watch list.
EFCC, it was gathered, has begun investigating financial transactions and contracts awarded during the tenure of Obaseki.
Obaseki, who concluded his eight-year administration on Tuesday, November 12, had earlier claimed that the EFCC intended to arrest him as soon as he left office.
Following his exit, the new governor, Monday Okpebholo, established a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to scrutinize the activities of the previous administration.
The EFCC had already made moves against officials from Obaseki’s government, arresting five on November 2, including the Accountant General, Julius Anelu.
These arrests were tied to allegations of significant withdrawals from the state treasury over a short time frame.
In response, Obaseki stated on November 8 that he was unbothered by the probe and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the EFCC to provide an account of his tenure.
However, EFCC insiders, speaking under the condition of anonymity, disclosed that while investigations continue, there is currently no direct evidence linking Obaseki to the financial irregularities in question.
The source said, “An investigation has commenced on his administration. He can’t just be invited until the work has gotten to a certain stage. Some team of crack investigators have been assigned to the case and have been trying to unravel some of the transactions including contracts awarded under his administration.
“The bulk of the transactions, you can’t trace it to him. He made use of others. There have been leads which we have been following and we hope to get something substantial.”
Speaking on whether Godwin Obaseki had been placed on the commission’s watch list, a source clarified that the practice was not specific to him. According to the source, all former governors are routinely placed under surveillance by the EFCC as part of standard procedures.
“All former governors are always on the commission’s watch list whether the commission has something with the fellow or not. We are not going to allow them to jet out of the country and then start going after them when we need them. So that is why we always place all of them on our watch list,” the source said.
