In the heat of ongoing corruption war in Nigeria, some former governors have been told of their culpability in the said offence by paying N100 million each when they defected to the All Progressives Coingress (APC).
Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto state, speaking to Daily Trust in Sokoto recently, said the listed members of the APC paid their way into the party.
According to Bafarawa, the accused are Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Kwara state governor,; Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso and Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and Murtala Nyako, former governor Adamawa governor.
The former governors (Ahmed is still the governor of Kwara state) joined the APC few months before the 2015 general elections after a major political battle with the then ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“APC is the architect of the enduring rift between it and some of its top-notch members which is causing Nigeria immense loss of progress,” the ex-governor stated.
His words: “When they (five governors) came into the APC, they were warmly received because they had the money to contribute N100 million each.
“When I, a founding member and acting chairman of the party’s constitution drafting committee queried why they were expressly allowed entry, I was bluntly told they had money to give. I then offered to also contribute N100 million but my own contribution was rejected.”
He lamented that the APC problem started from the time some of its founding fathers were shoved aside and the structures of the party handed over to the newly admitted governors. Spokespersons of Governor Ahmed, Senators Kwankwaso and Wamakko have reacted to Bafarawa’s allegations.
They all denied the allegation with Kwankwaso’s aide, Hajiya Binta Sipikin saying her principal will not join issues with Bafarawa. Bafarawa is one of the politicians currently facing trial for benefiting from the widely publicised arms deal money allegedly misappropriated by former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuiki (rtd).
