Why I paid N8.5bn two days to handover, former Bauchi Governor tells court

Former governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar has told a Federal High Court, Abuja, why he paid out the sum of N8.5 billion on May 27, 2019, two days to his exit from office.

The former governor explained that the money was paid to contractors, who executed various infrastructural contracts for Bauchi State under his watch.

Abubakar admitted before the court that the N8.5 billion was paid to the contractors, the same day the money was received from the central bank on the order of the federal government as a refund for jobs done for the federal government.

This was contained in his 18 paragraphs affidavit he filed to support his application seeking to be joined in a suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), questioning the disbursement of the fund.

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In the said affidavit, the former governor denied laundering the sum of N19.9 billion as alleged by the anti-graft agency.

Abubakar said that the state government under his leadership had executed some infrastructural projects on behalf of the federal government to the tune of N14.6 billion and that the refund for the jobs by the federal government did not come until May 27, when he was about handing over to his successor.

The former governor explained that immediately the N14.6 billion entered the state government’s operational account number, 0998552074 domiciled at First City Monument Bank on May 27, a schedule of payment was prepared and executed to the tune of N8.9 billion as sundry payment and upon approval of the outgoing state executive council under his watch.

Abubakar, however, alleged that the probe of the N8.5 billion disbursement and other transaction with the bank account by EFCC was allegedly at the instance of the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Alhaji Bala Mohammed, as part of efforts to rubbish and diminish the legacies of his government.

He, therefore, urged the court to include him as a party in the suit to enable him to defend himself.

However, in a strong objection to his application for joinder, the EFCC in an 18 paragraphs counter-affidavit urged the court to disregard the application on the grounds that the proper parties to the suit are the Bauchi State Government and First City Monument Bank, adding that the ex-governor cannot be personally affected directly or indirectly by the outcome of the suit.

The anti-graft agency in the counter affidavit, asserted that contrary to the claims of the ex-governor that contractors were paid the sum, the 21 FCMB cheques used in paying out the money was issued in the name of the manager of the bank and that by investigation so far, contracts contained in the schedule of payment approved by the ex-governor were not executed.

EFCC, therefore, prayed the court to dismiss the application for joinder on the grounds that the probe of the disbursement has nothing to do with the personality and politics of the ex-governor.

Meanwhile, Justice Nkeonye Maha, a vacation judge of the court has referred the case file to Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who had earlier granted an interim order in respect of the suit and adjourned hearing to September 10, 2019.