Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has denied claims that he refunded over ₦500 billion to the state government in a secret deal to avoid investigation or prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The allegation, which has been widely circulated across Delta State, suggested that Okowa repaid the massive sum to secure immunity from legal consequences and maintain political relevance after leaving office.
However, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olise Ifeajirika, the former governor described the claims as entirely false and without merit.
“It is not true that my boss, Okowa, returned such money.
The EFCC is free to carry out its duties,” Ifeajirika stated. “He was invited, shown documents, and he responded accordingly. The Commission has been engaging with officials from Delta State as part of ongoing investigations.
There has been no refund or settlement.”
The statement also emphasized that any discussion of prosecution or refunds is premature, as the EFCC has not concluded its investigations or filed any charges.
Meanwhile, Okowa and his political ally and successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move has intensified speculation that the defection was aimed at shielding them from EFCC scrutiny.
In a related development, Governor Oborevwori visited President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
Arriving unaccompanied at around 3:45 p.m., the Delta governor held a private meeting with the president—his first since officially joining the APC.
On April 23, 2025, Oborevwori made history as the first sitting governor of Delta State to leave the PDP since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
His defection was part of a larger political shift that saw his deputy, Monday Onyeme, state commissioners, local government chairmen, and PDP grassroots structures realign with the ruling APC following a closed-door meeting in Asaba.
Okowa, who was the PDP vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, played a key role in orchestrating the mass defection, marking a significant realignment in South-South politics.