Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has denied reports alleging he returned over ₦500 billion to the state in a secret arrangement aimed at avoiding investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Widespread speculation had suggested that Okowa made the alleged repayment to protect himself from prosecution, retain influence, and secure a soft landing with the anti-graft agency.
But in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Olise Ifeajirika, the former governor labelled the claims as false and lacking any factual basis.
“It is completely untrue that Governor Okowa refunded any amount. The EFCC is free to carry out its duties,” Ifeajirika stated.
He confirmed that Okowa was invited for questioning, shown some documents, and provided responses accordingly.
He emphasized that investigations are ongoing and that no refunds or legal actions can be confirmed until a formal conclusion is reached.
“There has been no money returned to the Delta State Government or the EFCC,” he added.
The allegations gained more traction after Okowa and his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), sparking rumors of a strategic move to avoid legal troubles.
In a related development, Governor Oborevwori met with President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He arrived around 3:45 p.m. and held a closed-door meeting with the president—his first since joining the APC.
Oborevwori’s defection, announced on April 23, 2025, marked a historic moment as he became the first sitting Delta governor to leave the PDP since the start of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
Alongside his deputy, Monday Onyeme, as well as commissioners, council chairpersons, and the PDP’s local political network, Oborevwori joined the APC following a private meeting in Asaba.
Okowa, who was Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, also made the switch, leading the wave of defections and signaling a dramatic realignment of power in the South-South geopolitical zone.
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