An FCT High Court has granted an application by a non-governmental organisation, the Incorporated Trustees of Hope Development and Empowerment Foundation, seeking permission to commence proceedings for an order of mandamus compelling the Attorney-General of the Federation to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs Martha Udo Emmanuel.
The application concerns allegations of huge cash withdrawals from accounts belonging to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
In an ex parte ruling on the application filed by counsel to the organisation, Martin Onyedika Okoye, Justice O.A. Musa granted the applicant leave to seek the order of mandamus.
The order directed the applicant to commence proceedings seeking to compel the Attorney-General of the Federation, through the EFCC, to investigate the allegations involving Mrs Emmanuel and other persons allegedly connected to the withdrawals.
The suit, marked FCT/HC/BW/M/25/2018, lists the Government of Akwa Ibom State, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Mrs Deaconess Martha Udo Emmanuel as the first, second and third respondents respectively.
A certified copy of the order dated December 7, 2018, cited in the proceedings, stated that the applicant was granted leave to seek an order compelling the EFCC to investigate allegations concerning cash withdrawals allegedly amounting to more than N7 billion from Akwa Ibom State Government accounts domiciled with Zenith Bank.
The accounts listed in the court documents include account numbers 1014539562, 1014358342 and 1014317094.
The applicant alleged that the withdrawals required investigation and asked that the outcome of any investigation be submitted to the court within one month of the order.
The organisation also sought leave to pursue an order directing the EFCC to investigate the role allegedly played by the then Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, in the transactions.
It further asked the court to direct that the governor be investigated and, according to the application, prosecuted after leaving office, subject to the outcome of the investigation and applicable law.
The court also granted leave for the applicant to serve the respondents with the originating processes and the ex parte order at the Akwa Ibom State Liaison Office in Abuja.
The development follows allegations made by the applicant concerning the management and withdrawal of funds from state government accounts.
The allegations were yet to be determined on their merits by the court, and the granting of leave to commence proceedings did not amount to a finding of guilt or establish that the alleged withdrawals constituted a criminal offence.
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