How Abubakar Sadiq-led faction of ICDA spent N118.892 million in 3 years [Investigation]

Amid conflicts of interest and supremacy battle that rocked the Igala Cultural Development Association of Nigeria (ICDA), the sum of N118,892,004.00 (One Hundred and Eighteen Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand and Four Kobo) was generated by the Abubakar Sadiq-led faction of ICDA within three years.

According to the Bank documents which was exclusively obtained by CAPITAL POST at Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area in Kogi East Senatorial District, the ICDA account no. 4847576031 (Corporate Current Account) domiciled with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), and operated at Anyigba branch, ICDA had the cash flow from 4th May, 2018 to 5th July, 2021, a time that our correspondent commenced investigation into activities of ICDA.

Out of the total of N118,892,004.00, (One Hundred and Eighteen Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand and Four Kobo). the sum of N118,879,375.26 (One Hundred and Eighteen Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy-Five Naira, Twenty-Six Kobo) has been withdrawn, leaving a balance of N12,646.74 (Twelve Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Six Naira, Seventy-Four Kobo, as at 5th July, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Abubakar Sadiq-led Executive jettisoned the former ICDA account no. 4847576017, a Corporate Current Account domiciled with FCMB which was handed over to them with the sum of N116,681.01 (One Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty-One Naira, One Kobo, still in that account as at 5th July, 2021.

The ICDA account operated by Abubakar Sadiq was designed as “ICDA IGALA HOUSE PROJECT”, in which he personally deposited the sum of N5000 (Five Thousand Naira) on 4th May 2018 and thereafter had monies flown into it from Kogi State government, individual politicians, and businessmen.

CAPITAL POST gathered that Kogi State government made releases into the ICDA account as a way to penetrate the Eastern Senatorial district ahead of 2019 governorship election. For example, on 20th May, 2018, Kogi State Commissioner for Finance, Asiwaju Asiru Idris lodged the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) in the ICDA account.

It was also discovered that the State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello made contributions to the ICDA account at various times. Though, his name wasn’t on the manifest list of donors, but each amount he donated was itemised as ‘Governors support’.

Documents further showed that the Deputy Governor Mr. Edward Onoja who was the Chief of Staff to Yahaya Bello between 2015 and 2019 was the brain behind much of the funds generated into the coffer of ICDA, thus, the factional group enjoyed tremendous government patronages. Onoja was the highest donor, who donated on his personal capacity, on behalf of the governor and he did mobilise all the nine Local Government Administrators to contribute into the account at every month.

The ICDA house project having been completed, became the campaign bait by government of the day during the electioneering campaign, vis-à-vis, the ‘ene omuneme’ slogan to force Bello’s government down the throat of Kogi East people, a source who didn’t want his name mentioned told CAPITAL POST.

Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho who was an aspirant at that time gave N5,000,000 having N2,500,000 two times, while the highest fund Dangote Cement Factory donated was N3 million.

Out of the three House of Representatives members from Kogi East who were all aspirants, it was Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims who donated the sum of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira).

Unfortunately, the ICDA which is the Igala people’s apex socio-cultural group, has been mirred in controversy. Whereas, Abubakar Sadiq-led leadership was seen as government controlled leadership, to harvest and marooned the people into accepting Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s government and to vote him for a second tenure of office in November 2019 governorship election, some elders were of the school of thought that the ICDA’s boat has been rocked, hence, there was need for intervention.

It was the intervention of elders in the full knowledge of the late Royal Majesty, Dr. Idakwo Ameh Oboni II that set the stage for a ferocious battle, as the Board of Trustees dissolved the Sadiq-led executive on June 15, 2020 and inaugurated an 8-man caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the group. In apparent disregard to the BoT’s move, Sadiq-led group inaugurated their own board members in a manner that was opaque and strange to the ICDA constitution, even as his BoT ran into legitimacy crisis with Barr Usman Kabir and others distancing themselves from the purported appointment.

Though, the Sadiq-led executive is sustained by government patronage, the Caretaker Committee chaired by Chief Oyibo Samuel insisted that the latter’s activities were illegal, he has been dragged to Court, while they urged all well meaning Igala sons and daughters to ignore them.

As at the time of filing this report, Abubakar Sadiq’s phone number has been unavailable for days, hence, CAPITAL POST was not able to verify some questionable withdrawals, believing that before the next report, he would have been reached.