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Father Alia mismanaged N66 billion, Benue group cry out, petitions EFCC
A pro-democracy group known as Concerned Citizens of Benue for Good Governance has sent a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to begin investigation of Governor Hyacinth Alia and his officials over money laundering, diversion of public funds to the tune of N66 billion and abuse of office.
It is the second petition bordering on embezzlement of public funds that has gone to EFCC against the government of Alia in less than one week.
An international reputation lawyers’ group, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), had earlier written to the anti-corruption Commission to arrest, interrogate and prosecute the Special Adviser to Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura and others for alleged diversion of over N20 billion belonging to the 23 local governments of the state.
In the current petition also copied to the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; Concerned Citizens of Benue for Good Governance alleged that only within his first four months in office, Governor Alia’s administration diverted over N46 billion from the state coffers on fake contracts and refurbished vehicles, among other phantom projects.
“What is happening with Benue’s resources under the watch of Governor Alia is worse than a locust. Governor Alia has spent a whopping amount of N46 Billion in just four months in office awarding fictitious contracts, none of which is ongoing. Contracts are awarded to cronies without due process.
“In August, the Governor announced that his government had awarded contracts for the construction of 16 township roads in Makurdi at the cost of N6 billion. The road projects were yet to start anywhere in the state capital, when suddenly, Governor Alia announced that the State Executive Council had given him approval to increase the contract amount for the 16 road projects from N6 billion to N 9 billion. The award of these contracts did not follow due process but only done as directed by Governor Alia”, the petition said.
The petitioners pointed out that the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) law otherwise known as Due Process Law is in existence in Benue State, but Governor Alia is not obeying the law in the award of contracts. They accused him of awarding the 16 roads contracts for the initial N6 billion when he was yet to constitute a cabinet in place.
The group further stated that records it had reliably obtained showed that the contracts were over valued and used as conduit pipes for the benefit of Governor Alia, stressing that the projects were not covered in the budget of the state and no approval was given by the state House of Assembly.
The group also asked EFCC to investigate the procurement of buses the Alia administration claimed to have purchased as palliative measures. The ground claimed that the vehicles were refurbished and their prices inflated to enable the Governor and other government officials to divert the funds.
“On the 5th of September, 2023, Governor Alia released N1,273,875,000.00 (N1.2 billion) for the procurement of 100 refurbished 2017/2016 Hummer buses for palliative measures and 50 fairly used Hilux 2018/2019 model vehicles for other purposes. The company known as Lajec Engineering Services Ltd owned by some cronies of the Governor were given the contract to procure the vehicles.
“Governor Alia again on the 27th of September, 2023, released additional N736,375,000.00, for an unspecified number of fairly used Hummer buses for palliative measures and fairly used Toyota Hilux (2018/2019 model) for other purposes with the (contract no. BSPPC-43/2023). The job was also awarded to Lajec Engineering Limited.
“Again on the 28th September, 2023, the Alia government again released N 2,236,000,000.00 (N2.2 billion) to Lajec Engineering Services Ltd for the procurement of the same refurbished Hummer buses and some fairly used Toyota Hilux (2018/2019) model vehicles”, the group stated.
The petitioners also alleged that Governor Alia spent several billions on his vehicles and those of other government officials including State Assembly members with the procurements not following laid down procedures, a move they claimed was designed to benefit cronies of the Governor.
The group accused Governor Alia of freezing all the accounts of the Benue State Government while he makes frequent withdrawals at his discretion, depending on his personal conviction, interest and priority.
“It is worthy to stress that the massive looting of state funds is being diverted for personal and primitive accumulation of wealth as evidenced by the purchase of houses in New GRA, Makurdi, Guzape- Abuja, Maitama and Asokoro. And being an American citizen, the Governor has through his cronies bought houses in America.”
The petitioners said governor Alia has embarked on projects only as a means of siphoning funds of the state through the award of contracts such as the renovation of the state secretariat at the whooping sum of over N2 billion to a female friend, while the contract is yet to be executed.
The group accused the governor of embarking on the construction of a flyover at the High Level roundabout at the cost he has claimed to be N6 billion in an area which never experiences traffic congestion and which project is also not captured in the budget and is now talking about a similar contract in Gboko. They said the flyovers do not have any known architectural designs and will only serve as a means for fleecing public resources in the hands of Governor Alia.
The petitioners wondered why despite the huge allocations accruing to the state following the removal of subsidy, Governor Alia has chosen to ignore the basic aspects of development and has chosen to amass wealth for himself and his cronies.
The Concerned Citizens of Benue for Good Governance said Governor Alia has not demonstrated any iota of transparency and accountability despite the unprecedented federal allocations coming into the state as a result of fuel subsidy removal, stressing that he has refused to clear the arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities and is busy building his personal wealth.
It said allocations have increased by nearly 70% since June 2023 at both state and local government levels, yet, Governor Alia has not provided any information regarding how much his government is receiving and what is being spent, adding that the Governor has been deducting huge sums from the state treasury in the name of security votes without applying the funds for the use they are meant for.
The petitioners are also demanding that the EFCC should investigate the Special Adviser to Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura and others for alleged diversion of local government funds.
The group accused Alia’s government of embezzling N20 billion of local government funds between June and December 2023. It said the LG Bureau under Government Alia has been using some of its staff and privately owned companies to siphon the funds meant for local governments in the state.
The group further submitted that the allegedly embezzled N20 billion is part of aggregate Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds which accrued to the 23 Local Government Councils in Benue State between June to November, 2023.
The Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has dismissed as baseless and diversionary, widespread rumours about his collapse and being rushed abroad for treatment.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, following a routine inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects slated for commissioning in May to commemorate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second anniversary in office, Barrister Wike categorically denied the claims, saying that they were untrue.
He attributed the spread of these rumours to political machinations, specifically pointing to those he alleged, sought to divert attention from serious allegations of planned attacks on national assets, including the Rivers State House of Assembly complex as revealed by a former Head of Service of Rivers State government.
He said, “What happened was that the former Head of Service of Rivers State government came out to let the public know what was going on about a plan to bomb the House of Assembly complex and attack national assets. To divert the attention of people from focusing on that, they had to bring up rumours that I had been flown overseas. There was never a time I collapsed, there was never a time anybody took me overseas”.
The Minister said he was focused on his job of providing good governance in the FCT and would not be distracted by such unfounded rumours.
Barr. Wike emphasized his continued public engagements, citing his presence at the President’s Iftar engagement and his leading of Abuja residents during the Sallah homage to the President as evidence of his robust health. “You see me every day. The day Mr. President broke Iftar during his birthday, I was there. The next day, I led Abuja residents to pay Sallah homage. I see so many stories online, this is politics. Those things don’t bother us. We are not distracted. We are focused on our jobs.”
He thanked Nigerians for their concern but cautioned against wishing ill health on others, reiterating that only God determines the time of one’s passing. “I thank Nigerians for showing concern, but people should not wish their fellow human beings such a thing to happen. We know that we will die one day, nobody will remain in this world forever, but it’s only God who determines the day you will die. No human being can say you will die today or tomorrow. So, don’t bother yourself, I’m very agile and I can assure you that I will write the condolence letters for those peddling these rumours.”
Speaking on the infrastructure projects he inspected, Barr. Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the International Conference Centre (ICC) renovation, the Arterial road N16 in Gishiri and its interchange connecting Maitama District to Katampe, and the Judges Quarters and its access roads in Katampe District.
He said, “We were at the International Conference Centre where much work has been done. They are keeping to the time that they have given and they are also doing a good quality job. We’ve gone to Gishiri and the roads leading to the Justices Quarters. I’m very much impressed with the good jobs and the contractors handling these projects. You can attest to the fact that this is a quality job being carried out”.
He commended the contractors, including Julius Berger and CGC, for their commitment to delivering the projects on schedule and assured that funding, with the support of President Tinubu, was not a challenge.
He encouraged taxpayers to fulfill their obligations, promising that they will witness the tangible results of their contributions. “All we will say is that those who are supposed to pay their taxes should pay their taxes, and ask us what we are doing with taxpayers’ money. They can see what we are doing with taxpayers’ money.”
The Supreme Court has sacked Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party in a ruling that was delivered on Friday in Abuja.
The judgment has put paid to a prolonged legal battle of the party. In a unanimous judgment, In a delivered by a five-member panel, held that the Court of Appeal had overstepped its jurisdiction when it declared Abure as the party’s leader.
The Supreme Court ruled that the issue of party leadership is an internal affair beyond the jurisdiction of the courts, thereby overturning the lower court’s ruling. This decision has significant implications for the Labour Party, which has been embroiled in leadership tussles in recent months.
The judgment came after an appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and another appellant, challenging Abure’s claim to the chairmanship. The court found their appeal meritorious and accordingly upheld it, solidifying the legal stance that party leadership disputes should be settled within party structures rather than through litigation.
In a further blow to Abure’s camp, the Supreme Court dismissed a cross-appeal filed by his faction of the Labour Party, describing it as lacking merit.
With this ruling, the legal battles surrounding the leadership of the Labour Party may have reached their final chapter, barring any internal resolutions or new legal maneuvers by the affected parties.
The verdict has sparked reactions from political analysts and party stakeholders, with some expressing concerns over the stability of the Labour Party ahead of the next electoral cycle. The party, which emerged as a formidable force in the 2023 general elections, now faces the challenge of reorganizing its leadership and uniting its members.
While the ruling may settle the legal aspect of the dispute, the political ramifications are far from over.
Party members and loyalists of Abure may seek internal resolutions or political realignments to navigate the fallout of this decision. The Labour Party’s next steps will be crucial in determining its future strength and cohesion on the national stage.
As of press time, Abure’s camp has not issued an official statement on the ruling, while other factions within the party have welcomed the decision, calling it a victory for internal democracy.
In a landmark ruling today, the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a judgment that has been hailed as a significant victory not only for the Labour Party (LP) but also for Nigeria’s democracy. The ruling, which saw the removal of Mr. Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, is widely regarded as a triumph of democracy, the rule of law, and the resilience of Nigeria’s judicial system.
The statement celebrating the historic judgment was issued by the Labour Party National Caretaker Committee Secretary, Sen. Darlington Nwokocha who was present at the Supreme Court in Abuja during the judgment. The Secretary expressed immense gratitude to the Justices of the Supreme Court for their fair and forthright decision, which was described as a beacon of hope for the country’s democracy.
“This ruling is a monumental victory for the Labour Party and, more importantly, for the future of Nigeria’s democracy,” said the Secretary. “It demonstrates that the Judiciary remains the last hope for the common man, ensuring that justice and the rule of law prevail in the face of challenges.”
The Labour Party National Caretaker Committee (LP NCC) emphasized that the judgment is a clear indication that despite the struggles Nigeria faces, the nation’s democracy is resilient, and the judicial system remains a pillar of strength. It is also seen as a crucial step towards unifying the party and fostering an environment conducive to political reform and nation-building.
“This historic ruling is not only a victory for the Labour Party, but also for the Nigerian people and our democracy. It affirms that the rule of law will always be upheld,” the statement continued. “We now have an opportunity to rebuild Nigeria’s democracy and strengthen our party, which remains the political party of choice for millions of Nigerians.”
The Labour Party extended a call to all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, to unite with the party in its efforts to restore and rebuild the nation’s democracy. “We call on all Nigerians to join hands with the Labour Party in the mission to restore the true values of democracy, justice, and equity in Nigeria,” the statement urged.
The judgment is being seen as a significant milestone not only for the Labour Party but for the entire nation, as it underscores the importance of a free, fair, and independent judiciary in maintaining democratic principles. The ruling have now firmly brought to an end the perennial leadership crisis within the Labour Party, enabling it to focus more effectively on its agenda for a better Nigeria.
The Labour Party also took this moment to express their deep appreciation to their supporters for their unwavering dedication and solidarity. “We thank Nigerians for their resilience, support, and trust in our cause. The Labour Party remains the people’s party, and together, we will continue to fight for a more just, equitable, and prosperous Nigeria,” the Secretary concluded.
As the Labour Party moves forward, it is committed to uniting its members and supporters to build a Nigeria free from oppression, where justice and fairness are upheld for all. The Supreme Court’s ruling today serves as a powerful reminder that in Nigeria, the law is supreme, and democracy will always triumph.
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