The Abia State Judiciary Panel on Recovery of Government Properties and Funds has successfully reclaimed a Toyota Hummer bus, which was donated to the Abia State College of Education, Technical (ASCETA), Arochukwu, through a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) project.
MUK TV reports that Philip Nto, a former provost of the state-owned tertiary institution who was in custody of the vehicle, was appointed by former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
The vehicle was recovered from the former provost following an order by Justice Florence Duruoha-Igwe, who declared that he lacked approval from the Abia State government, or TETFund, to use the bus personally.
The panel directed the transfer of the vehicle to the new ASCETA provost, Professor Vincent Eze.
However, Nto contested the seizure, citing entitlement under government regulations and expressing dismay at the panel.
He expressed his reluctance to entertain the notion that he is facing persecution based on his tenure under the previous PDP administration led by Okezie Ikpeazu.
According to him, Ikpeazu had provided the requisite approvals for his actions, and he is hesitant to believe that his current situation is a result of political affiliations.
