Just In: EFCC has placed out-going governor Willie Obiano on watchlist

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed the out-going governor of Anambra state, Willie Obiano on watchlist.

In a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service dated November 15, 2021, the Commission requested the Service to place the governor on watchlist and inform it anytime he is travelling out of the country from any of the International airports and other points of entry and exit.

It is however not clear why the outgoing Anambra Governor has been placed on this list, but he is not the first, in 2018, NewsWireNGR recalls that, the EFCC had written to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to demand an urgent placement of Ekiti State governor on criminal watch list.

The anti-graft agency said in the September 12 letter of the same year, that Ayo Fayose poses a flight risk and may leave the country via land borders, airports or even seaports.

As at the time the letter was written to the anti-graft agency, Mr Fayose was to complete his second four-year term as Ekiti governor on October 16.

Only recently, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers state, is on the watch list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The NIS had made this known in its response to a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/965/2021, filed by Odili, in which he is querying the seizure of his international passport by officials of the agency.

In the meantime, outgoing Governor was elected governor of Anambra in November on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2013.

He was subsequently sworn in on March 16, 2014, succeeding Peter Obi.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in November 10, 2021 declared Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) the winner of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

Mr Soludo polled a total of112,229 votes to defeat his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 53, 807 to emerge second.

Mr Soludo is expected to be sworn in, in March 2022, when the tenure of the outgoing governor, Willie Obiano, expires. Mr Obiano and Mr Soludo are members of the same party, APGA.