Top People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Woman stakeholder Lady Getrude Nwodo has dragged the Local Government Chairman of Igbo-Etiti LGA Mr. Ikenna Nwodo to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleged embezzlement of Council funds.
Lady Nwodo popularly known as Iron Lady is also accusing the Chairman of embezzling N85m due to be paid to her as rent for Ogbede Health Centre and Customary Court.
Lady Getrude Nwodo, from Ukehe Igbo-Etiti LGA has been having a running battle with the Council over Ogbede Health Centre Land and the Customary Court which she said belongs to her family.
According to her, former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi intervened and ordered that the money be paid to her.
“I was at a wedding in Enugu last year, when the Chairman called to inform me that he was with my money. We agreed to meet in the bank the next day so I could pay it into my account, but the chairman never showed up and has since refused to pay me.”
In a letter to the EFCC through her lawyers dated July 7, 2023, and entitled “Embezzlement of Public Funds,” Iron Lady alleged that the chairman misappropriated the sum of N980m.
The breakdown includes N600m in April 2023, N180m in April 2023 and N200m in May 2023.
“It is our instructions that Mr. Ikenna Nwodo failed to utilize these funds for the purpose they were received.
She accused the chairman of rather using the funds to develop a private estate in the Enugu State Capital.
Reacting, the Council chairman denied receiving such amount of money as allocation stating that the records are there for the public to cross check.
He also noted that the accounts of the Council are audited and such records are not hidden from the public.
The chairman however, dismissed claims that the Council was owing rent to Iron Lady insisting that is not indebted to anyone and is not make use of any property belonging to an individual.
“She also said that the former governor, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi gave me money to pay her for rent. Is that not ridiculous?”