PAUL UTEBOR
Fresh investigations have uncovered troubling findings concerning Ibezi Ifeanyichukwu Anthony, a political figure from Anambra State, with records pointing to alleged involvement in contract racketeering while serving in public office.
Documents and payment records reviewed indicate that Anthony, while serving as Chairman of the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, used a private company linked to him to secure government contracts worth millions of naira, in violation of provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Act.
The Code of Conduct Bureau, established to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in the public sector, places strict limitations on the private business interests of public officers. The Act prohibits full-time public officials from owning, managing or directing private companies, except those engaged in farming. The provision is intended to prevent conflicts of interest and curb the culture of self-enrichment that has long undermined Nigeria’s public institutions.
Despite these provisions, records show that Ibezi Ifeanyichukwu Anthony was listed as a director of Beez Real Estate Limited, a private company that secured government contracts worth N19,913,975.64 while he was serving as Chairman of the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation.
The practice, commonly described as contract racketeering, undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s public procurement system and weakens public confidence in institutions expected to serve the public interest.
Investigations revealed that on 15 July 2021, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing made two separate payments to Beez Real Estate Limited. The first payment, valued at N9,077,344.57, was described as “Being final payment for the installation of integrated 3-in-1 solar street lights at Zango/Baure Federal Constituency, Katsina State.”
The second payment, valued at N10,836,631.07, was described as “Being final payment for the electricity supply and installation of 500KVA transformers at Akaajime, Gboko and other locations in Benue State.”
Company records further show that Beez Real Estate Limited was incorporated on 21 December 2007. The company’s registered office address is listed as 12 Abdul Kadir Baba Agba Street, Works and Housing, Abuja, FCT, while its current operational status remains unclear.
Among the listed directors of the company is Ibezi Ifeanyichukwu Anthony, who, at the time of the transactions, was serving as Chairman of the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation.
In June 2019, Anthony was sworn in as the representative for Idemili North and South Federal Constituency in the 9th House of Representatives. However, his tenure lasted only about six months after the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu nullified his election.