The former governor of Abia State and immediate past Abia Central Senatorial District legislature, Theodore Ahamefule Orji, has disassociated himself from the judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja against him.
It may be recalled that a section of the media had reported that a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, granted interim forfeiture of over N228.4 million, linked to former Governor Theodore Orji, to the federal government.
Specifically, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by its counsel Fadila Yusuf had filed an ex-parte application alleging that the funds were proceeds of money laundering.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in his ruling had directed the EFCC to publish the forfeiture order on its website and in a national newspaper, calling on any interested parties to show cause within 14 days why the funds should not be permanently forfeited.
The EFCC’s application, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/ 03/V/2025, was filed under Section 44(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
The commission alleged that the funds, totalling ₦228,497,773.12 and domiciled in a Keystone Bank account held by Effdee Nigeria Ltd, were linked to the diversion of public funds by Orji and his associates during his tenure as governor.
According to the EFCC, Effdee Nigeria Ltd was allegedly used to siphon funds from the Abia State government.
But the former governor of the state, in a reaction debunked the federal High Court’s judgment, claiming that one Erondu Uchenna Erondu mentioned as an aide to the state government never served in Governor Orji’s government, but the immediate past government of the state under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration.
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The senator who recently announced his retirement from active politics, speaking through his media aide, Ifeanyi Umere said “Our attention has been drawn to a media report, claiming that a Federal High Court in Abuja has made an order of interim freezing and forfeiture of the sum of over ₦228.4m linked to senator T.A Orji to the fed government on allegations of money laundering.
“This is to notify the general public that the said report is false and misleading as there is no pending case in any court involving Senator T.A Orji and Hon. Erondu Uchenna Erondu, a former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu with EFCC as contained in the news report.
“A thorough scrutiny of the whole story which emanated from NAN revealed that the reporter of NAN, in the bid to break the supposed story, ended up publishing fake news, as he referred to Erondu as the special adviser to senator TA Orji.
“The reporter who did not crosscheck his story ought to know that the story in question between Erondu, Austin Akuma of Keystone Bank, Effdee Nigeria limited and EFCC happened between 2016 and 2017 a few years after Senator TA Orji had left Office as the governor of Abia State.
“We want to urge media houses and their reporters to always cross check their stories before rushing to publish. Once again Senator Orji has assured that he will be willing at any time when called upon by any anti-graft agency to come and give account of his stewardship as Abia state governor as he has nothing to hide.”