Corruption Scandal: Ex-Delta Governor Okowa Embroiled in EFCC Probe

Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was recently at the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the anti-graft agency continues its investigation into the alleged diversion of derivation funds during his administration. Sources indicated that Mr. Okowa visited the EFCC’s Lagos Directorate 1 office on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, on Monday in connection with the ongoing probe, which focuses on the alleged diversion of funds accruing to Delta State from the 13 percent derivation allocation from the Federation Account between 2015 and 2023, covering his eight-year tenure as governor.

This visit was reportedly linked to efforts by the former governor to secure the release of his international passport, which he needs to travel abroad for medical treatment. However, it was not immediately clear whether the commission approved this request. Mr. Okowa had been previously arrested by the EFCC on November 4, 2024, and questioned at the commission’s Port Harcourt Directorate over similar allegations bordering on the management of these derivation funds. At that time, the anti-graft agency was investigating claims that part of the N1.3 trillion funds was diverted into private investments and the acquisition of assets in various parts of the country, including an alleged N40 billion used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas and a commercial bank.

After his initial arrest, Mr. Okowa was granted bail after meeting the commission’s conditions. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing, stating that it would be impossible for a governor to divert such an immense sum—between N16 billion and N20 billion monthly—over the period in question. He emphasized that such an amount would be challenging even for a president to divert.

The investigation into Mr. Okowa remains one of the EFCC’s most closely watched corruption cases involving a former governor, despite no charges having been formally filed against him. The probe gained public attention in late 2024 and has continued actively since. In April 2025, Mr. Okowa, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) along with Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other key political leaders. This political move sparked public debate regarding the continuation of the EFCC investigation; however, the commission has maintained that its probe remains active and unaffected by political affiliations. Furthermore, last month, Mr. Okowa, a former senator, secured the APC senatorial ticket for Delta North ahead of the 2027 general elections. Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the EFCC, including from its spokesperson Dele Oyewale, have been unsuccessful, and the commission has yet to publicly disclose the outcome of Monday’s meeting or its decision on Mr. Okowa’s request for his travel documents.