£4.2m REFUND: COMPLY WITH HOUSE OF REPS DIRECTIVE.... Okowa's Aide Tells FG

 "Delta State money cannot be used for projects in other states of the federation without the express permission of the state Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and the government".... Oghenesivbe JP.

...Says Any Agreement Between FG And UK Authorities About How To Spend Delta Repatriated Money Is Inconsequential.

Renowned media expert and Executive Assistant on Communication to the Delta State Governor, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe has berated the Federal Government over its stance on the £4.2m refund from the UK Government.

Oghenesivbe JP, while speaking extensively as guest on WAZOBIA FM, Onitsha on Thursday 11th March about the repatriated funds from UK, disclosed that the political travails of the former Delta state Governor, Chief James Ibori's were prompted by his patriotic advocacy for Resource Control.

He counselled on the need for the federal government to remit the funds to Delta or use same for federal/state projects within the State.

According to the renowned Communication Strategist who spoke live via telephone, "Delta State money cannot be used for projects in other states of the federation without the express permission of the state Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and the government.

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to comply with the House of Representatives directive by instructing the Attorney General of the Federation and Federal Ministry of Finance, to credit Delta State account with appropriate funds with Central Bank of Nigeria, after deducting cost of litigation, etcetera.

He said Chief Ibori's political travails is visibly connected to his patriotic advocacy for resource control which heralded the 13% derivation funds to oil producing States and/or communities, noting that the former governor was already a successful businessman with considerable wealth in local and foreign  currencies, as rightly stated by Oghara Development Union, ODU.

Oghenesivbe, who is also a Justice of the Peace, JP and Barrister at Law, further averred that Ibori's defence repeatedly stated to no avail that some of the property under forfeiture were acquired legitimately before he became the governor of Delta State in 1999, noting that the fact in issue concerning the repatriated funds is that the money was lawfully declared by the UK authorities and the federal government of Nigeria, as belonging to the government and people of Delta State.

Okowa's EAC posited that any previous agreement between Nigeria Government and UK authorities over the use of the repatriated fund is inconsequential because you cannot shave someone's head on his behalf. And all international treaties and agreements must be domesticated in Nigeria, in accordance with relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

"Therefore, the APC national government goofed by relying on such agreement that is yet to be domesticated. Furthermore, the federal House of Representatives has put paid to the matter by directing the AGF and the federal ministry of finance to remit the fund to Delta State government, thereby foreclosed the issue of domestication of the ill-conceived agreement.

"It is the responsibility of the Delta State House of Assembly to appropriate the repatriated funds subject to the Governor's request and not the duty of the federal government to unlawfully divert the state's money", he said.