APC Tells Gov. Aliyu To Return N13.4b Taken ‘Illegally’

The All Progressives Congress in Niger State on Sunday said it will only consider the apology by the state Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, as true remorse for a sin committed if he returns the monies took illegally from the state coffer. The APC in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jonathan Vatsa, and made available to our Correspondent, said the total of the project funds deducted but not released nor accounted for stands at N13,426,000,000. Reacting to APC’s allegation, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Aliyu, Israel Ebije, said the WDP funds are intact, well utilized and records of disbursements and grassroots-based projects are available for public scrutiny. Ebije, while expressing satisfaction over Niger APC’s conceding bond projects were people based, stated that the party has gone beyond battle of political primacy to personal attack on Dr. Aliyu. Vatsa said: “The recent apology by the Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, during a state wide broadcast is most suitable considering the fact that he has plunged Niger State backward than it has ever been since its creation. “We in the APC consider his apology as mocking the people of the state. True remorse for a sin committed should come with atonement, such that he can be bold enough to return to Niger State coffer what he knows that he has taken illegally. “The total of the project funds deducted but not released nor accounted for from the above figures now stand at N13,426,000,000. It is therefore reasonable that before Nigerlites can forgive the governor, he should account for the funds deducted and refused to release to the Ward Development Project Committees as contained in edict Gazetted vol. 13 in Niger State Legal Notice No.24 of 2009 as amended in Vol. 16 Niger State Legal Notice No.4 2012.” Ebije however stated: “The allegation against Dr. Aliyu on the WDP funds is false. Every single money set aside for the laudable project is accounted for. The WDP initiative has received international recommendations. The World Bank has indicated interest and since partnered with Niger State government. The project is one of the best initiative of the Governor Aliyu administration. “Niger State APC should settle down administratively and study records before going public with puerile speculations. They should quit acting like an opposition party. They are now the ruling party brought to power by a bandwagon voting pattern.” The APC spokesman added: “The question that is agitating our minds is how can he beg for forgiveness when public funds are still in his possession, we agree that the two Holy Books give room for restitution; so he can return to the state coffers what his conscience has judged and passed the verdict that he has taken illegally, at that point he may be forgiven. “Let us agree from the face value that the conceptualization of programme like Bond projects, 10 kilometres roads and the Ward Development projects are worthwhile in an ideal set up, but it is pathetic that such programmes have been used over the years to syphon government funds. “We will continue to challenge him to show us what he has done with the billions he collected from the capital market as bond and the funds released for the 10 kilometers road projects that have remained uncompleted. “We are more worried that the ward development project that the government always takes credit for, has been hugely a fraud. We are well armed with empirical facts that since 2010 to date despite the deduction from local government and state Joint account the money were never released to the Wards. “In 2010, the money was not released despite the deduction from July to December leaving a huge sum of N1,644,000,000 deducted but unaccounted for. “Same 2011, payment to Wards were disbursed throughout the financial year leaving a huge sum of N3,288,000,000 deducted and not released. “We have on a good account that in 2012, releases were made from month of January to March only leaving a balance of N 2,466,000,000 and the same was experienced in 2013; releases were made from January to march leaving a balance of N2,466,000,000 deducted that was neither released nor accounted for. “In 2014, releases were made for January and February living the balance of N2,740,000,000. In 2015 releases were made from January to March leaving unpaid amount for the current year that was deducted and not released to the sum of N822,000,000. “The total of the project funds deducted but not released nor accounted for; from the above figures now stand at N13,426,000,000. “It is therefore reasonable that before Nigerlites can forgive the governor, he should account for the funds deducted and he refused to release to the Ward Development Project Committees as contained in edict Gazetted vol. 13 in Niger State Legal Notice No.24 of 2009 as amended in Vol. 16 Niger State Legal Notice No.4 2012.”