Tuesday, May 10, 2016

EFCC Invites Shekarau

The Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) has invited former Kano State governor Malam Ibrahim Shekarau for questioning over N950 million campaign funds.
Shekarau, EFCC sources said, was expected to be at the commission by 10am today.
“Shekarau was invited and is expected to come to the commission’s office in Kano today (Tuesday), he had accepted that in his acknowledgement,” the sources said.
Shekarau, a former minister of education under the Jonathan administration, was invited in connection with the N23bn campaign funds scandal, said the source.



EFCC sources alleged that the money was part of $115 million (N23 bn) given by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and shared among top PDP politicians in furtherance of the re-election campaign of ex- president Goodluck Jonathan.
One of the sources said the former Nigerian foreign affairs minister Alhaji Aminu Bashir Wali, had in his statement indicted Shekarau regarding the N950m he allegedly collected from Diezani.
Ambassador Wali had confirmed receipt of N950m sent to the Kano chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the National Headquarters of the party.
Wali in an interview with a Kano-based private radio station, Rahma Radio, said the money was meant to conduct electioneering activities for the presidential campaign of PDP during the 2015 general elections.

According to him, as party stalwart in the state the national campaign headquarters had sent him the money two days to election for the payment of party agents and other electioneering activities.
“It is true I have received N950m in my capacity as party stalwart. Kano is a very big state and we have used the money in accordance with what it was meant for just like other parties have equally done.
The issue that I am in EFCC’s custody is politically initiated to spoil my good name.
“I have been in politics for over 36 years now and I was never found misappropriating party funds not to talk of public funds.
“Had it been I was accused of a crime committed when I was an ambassador in USA or in China I would have looked at it differently, but this is money sent from the PDP headquarters for presidential campaign and it was apparent that an appeal fund was held and over N20bn was realized,” said Wali.
He added that EFCC operatives had invited him to answer some questions which he said he did and was allowed to go home.
“I was invited to EFCC to answer some questions on the said money which I did and I have explained everything the same way I did to you, and I am going back to Abuja to continue with my normal activities,” said Wali.
Sources said the anti-graft agency now wants Shekarau to explain his own side of the story.
Tanimu Turaki, Fani-Kayode quizzed

The EFCC also questioned two former ministers - Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Special Duties and Femi Fani-Kayode, Aviation yesterday in connected with the said campaign funds, Daily Trust, learnt.
The source has confirmed that the former special duties minister arrived at the Kano Zonal Office of the commission yesterday around 5pm. On his part Fani-Kayode was questioned at the EFCC head quarters in Abuja by detectives.

“We still have him with us, we have not finished with him,” a source told Daily Trust last night.
He added that Fani-Kayode may likely spend the night in custody.
Fani-Kayode honoured EFCC invitation to explain his alleged connection to ongoing investigations into N840 million received before the 2015 presidential elections.
Fani-Kayode, 2015 Media and Publicity director of the former President Jonathan Campaign Organisation, in a statement said he was served the letter of invitation Friday morning.
He had said: “Today (Friday), the EFCC invited me to come to their office on Monday. I have their letter. I agreed to be there. Now they have surrounded my house.

“The letter of invitation was served this morning (Friday) and it was dated 6th May. They said I should report on the 9th. Can someone please, tell me why they are at my gate? I never refused their invitation. Why all this?” Fani-Kayode said.
In January Fani-Kayode, denied he received the sum of N1.7 billion from former President Goodluck Jonathan or former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki as claimed in some quarters.

In a statement, the former aviation minister said as the director, media and publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, he only received money on behalf of the Directorate of Media and Publicity from private individuals and companies during the election campaigns.

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