The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday grilled two former ministers — Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of Power and Abdu Bulama, a former Minister of Science and Technology over the $115 million public fund allegedly deployed for the 2015 general election by former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Both were PDP campaign coordinators for Borno and Yobe state respectively during the last presidential election.
A source at the anti-graft agency quoted Mr. Bulama as saying that he received N450m from a former finance minister, Nenadi Usman, for use in funding the PDP presidential election in the state.
“Former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman called and informed me to go and collect money in Fidelity Bank. A five-man committee was set up to coordinate the campaign activities in Yobe State and we received N450m.
“The money was disbursed based on a template we received from Abuja and we shared it among the three senatorial zones in the state.”
Muhammed Kadai, who was Mr. Bulama’s deputy, provided details of the sharing formula.
According to him, “the money was shared according to zones. For Zone A, Abba –Gana Tata collected the sum of over N85, 100,000.00, while Dr Mamu collected N73, 510.000.00 on behalf of Mohammed Hassan Dambu and zone C received N70, 470.000.00, through Alhaji Hassan Ibn Jaks for Dr Yarima Ngama.”
The Borno Coordinator , former Minister Wakil also confirmed he received N450m, our source said.
He was quoted as saying, “I received a call from Nenadi Usman, former Minister of Finance, that N450m was sent to Fidelity bank and a template for how the disbursement of the funds will be conducted.
“Nicholas Msheliya, Peter Biye, Hon. Kudla Satumaria, Hon. Ibrahim Birma, all from southern Borno received the sum of N112, 340.000.00. Equally Hon. Kangar, through Dr. Kulima A.A received N88, 620.000.00 while Engr Mohammad Baba Kachalla, Hon. Kaamuna Khadi, Hon. Zarma Mustapha and Hon. Abdulrahman Tarab received the sum of 140,860.000.00.
Similarly, the sum of N40m was allegedly given to Hon. Komalia for onward transmission to PDP Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, for Security.
The two ministers are currently in the custody of EFCC in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as investigation continues.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The headline and body of this story have been corrected to reflect the amount involved. It is $115 million not $115 Billion.
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