I Gave N600M To Bode George, Others- Former Minister Yuguda
The embattled former Minister of State, Bashir Yuguda, has told the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he gave a total of
N600million cash to six chairmen of the Contact and Mobilisation
Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 general
election.
He listed the beneficiaries as Bode George (South-West); Amb. Yerima
Abdullahi (North-East); Peter Odili (South-South); Attahiru Bafarawa
(North-West); Jim Nwobodo (South -East); and Ahmadu Ali
(North-Central).
He said he instructed Jabbama Limited to transfer N300million to BAM
Properties whose account detail was given to him by a former National
Chairman of PDP, Bello Haliru.
Yuguda, who made the allegations in a Statement of Witness/ Caution
which he wrote on oath, said he sent N200million to the erstwhile PDP
Governorship candidate in Kebbi State, Bello Sarkin Yaki.
He said a former Governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, also got N100million.
The statement is part of the proof of evidence against the former
minister whose trial is scheduled to commence this week at the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Yuguda will stand trial with ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and his son, Sagir Attahiru; Dalhatu Investment Limited.
The ex-minister is expected to account for over N3.050billion
including N1.1billion being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA
and aggregate sum of N1,950,000 belonging to the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, which sum was transferred to Jabbama Ada Global Services.
The ex-minister said: “For the cash disbursement of N600million, it
was meant for the six zonal chairmen for Contact and Mobilisation
Committees for Election of 2015. The chairmen are Bode George, Amb.
Yerima Abdullahi; Peter Odili; Attahiru Bafarawa; Jim Nwobodo; Ahmadu
Ali. The sum of N100million was given to each chairman. I gave the
money in company of Prof. Alkali, who was Political Adviser to former
president. The zonal chairmen are for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
I also instructed Jabbama Limited to transfer the sum of N100m to
Dalhatu Limited on the request of Attahiru Bafarawa.
“I also remember that Bello Sarkin Yaki was among the people that the
then NSA instructed that I send the sum of N200million to. He was the
PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kebbi State.”
Yuguda, who claimed that he had liaised with Stallion Limited, gave the details of other disbursements.
His words: “I knew the chairman of Stallion Limited whose second name
I cannot remember. Between December 2014 to June 2015, on the
instruction of the then NSA, I introduced Jabbama Limited to a staff of
the company on the instruction of the chairman.
“When the account was in credit, disbursement was made from time to
time on the instruction of the then NSA. Part in foreign exchange or
transfers.
“I wish to add that sometime in February 2015, I instructed Jabbama
to transfer the sum of N300m to BAM Properties. The account was given to
me by Bello Haliru as one of the people the former NSA requested me to
give money. I also remember that Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi was sent the sum
of N100million on the instruction of the then NSA.
“Further to my statement of 30th November, 2015, I have brought the
sum of $829,800(equivalent to N200m) and N600m was given to me to
distribute to the six PDP Zonal Committee chairmen. I don’t know who are
the directors of Dalhatu Investment Limited but funds were transferred
to the company’s account on the instruction of Dalhatu Bafarawa for the
total amount of N1.5billion received from the then NSA by Jabbama
Limited.
“I shall endeavour to recover the sum of N600million given to the six
zonal PDP committee chairmen, while I appeal to the commission to use
their machineries to trace the remaining balance of the money
transferred to various accounts.”
The former minister however denied receiving another N200million credited to him.
“I have been shown transaction of N200million from the Office of the
Accountant-General to Jabbama which Jabbama said it’s on my instruction
but I cannot remember this instruction until I crosscheck,” he said.
Some of the charges against Yuguda are: “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo
Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst
being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the
National Security Adviser, Bashir Yuguda whilst being the Minister of
State for Finance between 5th February and 16th April 2015 in Abuja
within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion
over certain properties to wit: an aggregate sum of N1.1billion being
part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with
CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property
when you transferred same to the account of Jabbama Ada Global Services
Nigeria Limited for the purpose of financing the campaign of PDP in the
2015 general election and you thereby committed an offence punishable
under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.
“That you, Bashir Yuguda whilst being Minister of State for Finance
between 23rd December 2014 and 10th February, 2015 in Abuja within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly misappropriated
certain property to wit: an aggregate sum of $9,809,619 which was an
equivalent of the aggregate sum of N1,950,000 belonging to the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, which sum was transferred to Jabbama Ada Global
Services to be converted into the said dollars and you thereby
committed an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code
Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.”
Meanwhile, a former Governor of Sokoto State, Alh. Attahiru Bafarawa,
admitted that he collected N100million from Yuguda through Sagir
Attahiru.
Bafarawa, in his statement to the EFCC, said: “I know Bashir Yuguda.
He called me to tell me there is money to be given for (sic) the
North-West Campaign Committee which I asked how much and he told me is
N100million for the seven states and ask (sic) to give it to Sagir which
he did and the money was sent to the states campaign committee between
20th and 21st of February 2015 for the PDP Campaign for General
Election.
“He did not tell me where the money was coming from. I did not ask him where the money was coming from.
“Sagir is my son and I directed Sagir to send the money to state chairmen campaign committee for PDP North-West.
“I also received N100million (dollar equivalent) from the North-West
Campaign Committee. The money was given to me in the PDP National
Chairman, Alh. Adamu Muazu house in Abuja in the presence of all the
zonal chairmen as listed …and after collecting all this (sic) money, I
gave the money to Abdullahi Yauri who was the Secretary of the
North-West Campaign Committee to share to the state chapter and Yuguda didn’t tell me where he got the money from.”
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