Ex-FCT minister, Akinjide, returns N10m to EFCC

A former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, has  reportedly returned the sum of N10m to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Sunday PUNCH can confirm.

Sources within the EFCC told our correspondent that Akinjide, who was the Oyo State coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation and some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, allegedly received N650m during the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.

A source at the EFCC said, “The former FCT minister and other PDP leaders in the state received some campaign funds during the 2015 presidential election.

“She has been visiting our Lagos office. Recently, she returned N10m to the Federal Government. She is cooperating with us and she is expected to return more money.”

It was learnt that the money that Akinjide allegedly received, emanated from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and disbursed by the then Director of Finance, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, who has since been charged with money laundering.

The money which was $115m but converted to N23bn, was said to have been kickbacks from some dubious oil contractors involved in oil theft.

Several calls made to Akinjide’s line to get her reaction did not go through as of the time of filing this report.

The anti-graft agency had also detained the Chairman of the PDP Oyo State Chapter, Yinka Taiwo.

The EFCC has so far grilled about 16 former governors and ministers over the alleged N23bn scam sleaze.

Some of them include ex-Governor of Kebbi State, Saidu Dakin Garin; former Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State; former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State; and ex-Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State.

Others are: former Governor James Ngilari of Adamawa State; a former Governor of Zamfara State, Mamuda Shinkafi; a former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke; and a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda.

During the election, each state was said to have received at least N450m from the fund which was handled by ministers or governors who were members of the PDP. Some states, however, received more than N450m.
Source:Punch