The 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Chief Ikechi Emenike, is locked in a heated dispute with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a contested property located at 6 Aso Drive, Asokoro, Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Emenike has accused the EFCC of disobeying court orders relating to the property, which he says has been his residence for over a decade. However, the anti-graft agency insists it followed due legal process in taking possession of the asset.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Emenike claimed that Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the EFCC to vacate the property, having rejected the Commission’s request for a stay of execution. He attached certified court documents as proof and accused the EFCC of deliberately ignoring the court’s directive.

But the EFCC swiftly refuted the allegations, stating it had obtained a legitimate court order granting possession of the forfeited property. “It is not in our character to engage in judicial disobedience,” the Commission said, arguing that Emenike’s tenancy did not invalidate the final forfeiture ruling.

The EFCC further explained that Emenike had not been paying rent to the Commission for over 10 years, despite having a rental arrangement with a former minister. On the claim of Right of First Refusal, the Commission noted that the April 18, 2024, judgment merely entitled Emenike to be considered if the property were to be put up for sale—something it said had not happened.

But Emenike countered this position with documents showing rent payments from January 2017 to December 2022, made to an EFCC-appointed agent, Azikagbon & Co. He alleged that after discussions with former EFCC chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa on securing the Right of First Refusal, the Commission abruptly moved to allocate the house to its chairman, prompting his legal challenge.

According to him, Justice Musa ruled in his favour, stating that the EFCC lacked the legal authority to convert forfeited properties for internal use, and reaffirmed his right as a sitting tenant to be given priority in any sale. The court also directed the EFCC to vacate the property and restore possession to Emenike.

Despite this, Emenike said EFCC operatives resisted the court’s enforcement order, chased out his domestic staff, and refused to vacate even when bailiffs returned with police reinforcements. He accused the agency of threatening court officers and acting in defiance of the rule of law.

“The court rejected the EFCC’s motion for a stay of execution and urged the Commission to purge itself of contempt,” Emenike said, describing the EFCC’s conduct as unethical, fraudulent, and unconscionable.