The former Acting Governor of Taraba State, Senator Sani Danladi Abubakar,
has admitted to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in Gombe
State that he shared N450 million to politicians in the state during the
presidential campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Senator Abubakar, who is a serving Senator representing Taraba North
Senatorial Districts said he was the chairman of the sharing committee.
He said that the fund was released for the re-election of ex-President
Goodluck Jonathan.
He said other members were the former Minister of Labour and Productivity,
Senator Joel Ikenya Danlami and former Speaker of the State legislature,
Mark Bako Useni.
Investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, yesterday
revealed the role played by the trio in the collection and sharing of the
fund.
It also showed that Joel Ikenya and Mark Useni signed and collected the
fund from Fidelity Bank on behalf of the state before proceeding to the
Government House to disburse it.
When interrogated, the duo claimed they distributed the money to the 16
local government areas of the State.
A statement from the EFCC said they gave N140 million to five local
government areas whileN260 million went to the remaining local government
areas.
However, Useni admitted he collected Takum local government’s fund of N24m.
Furthermore, they confessed to have personally benefited individually from
the fund.
The former minister admitted to have taken four million from the fund. He
presented a Guarantee Trust Bank draft of two million and promised another
draft for the same amount today.
His co-suspect deposited a draft from Stanbic IBTC for one million and the
balance to be paid later.
The investigators have vowed to go after the chairman of the sharing
committee in order to recover his personal share.