North Nigerian traditional leaders under the umbrella group, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), under its chairman Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, released details of how the group spent the N53m handed to them by former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Chief Tony Anenih to support ex-president Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.
During the last year’s presidential elections, the incumbent PDP administration was alleged to have spent $2.1bn that was earmarked for the purchase of military weapons to equip the armed forces to fight Boko Haram and for other uses. Dispensed through the Office of the National Security Adviser (Onsa), during the campaign majority of the alleged money found their way in the hands of corrupt politicians, religious leaders and traditional rulers, all in the quest to to get Goodluck Jonathan re-elected.
Alhaji Yakassai has admitted that the NEF was paid some cash, adding that Chief Anenih handed him the cash in tranches in person. According to the breakdown of the expenditure profile provided by Alhaji Yakassai there is an outstanding balance of N16m owed the Nef for the services it rendered to the PDP.
“States visited were Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Katsina, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe. Members of the Nef team include Alhaji Sule Iyaji, Senator Abubakar Sodangi, Ambassador M Anka, Chief John Mankilik, Alhaji Sulaiman Lawal, Dr Luka Bahago and Barrister Bitrus Gwadah, with myself as team leader,” Alhaji Yakassai added.
He added that members’ allowances was N250,000 for eight members for 21 days, which added up to N42m. Alhaji Yakassai disclosed that return tickets for Abuja-Sokoto, Abuja-Kano, Abuja-Ilorin, Abuja-Yola/Jallingo and Abuja-Bauchi/Gombe plane trips were at a cost of N50,000 and the total came to N2,250,000.
Furthermore, Alhaji Yakassai put hotel accommodation of N30,000 per night for nine persons for five nights. He said payments to personal assistants was N20,000 per person, while the Christian Association of Nigeria delegation from Plateau State, which visited Chief Anenih, got N2m.
According to Alhaji Yakassai, by the standards of those involved, the expenditure pattern was modest. He said the idea behind the release of the details of the expenses of his committee was just for the record, adding that he is still being owed money by the PDP.
