As part of the ongoing investigation into corrupt practices that took place during the tenure of former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan, it has emerged that numerous PDP leaders were given large sums of cash from government coffers. Most of the cash came from the military budget via the office of the national security adviser Col Sambo Dasuki.
It is alleged that many of the officials were given the cash as part of Dr Jonathan's re-election bid and to fund the PDP's 2015 election campaign. Alhaji Yakasai, a member of the ACF's board of trustees and a former special assistant to one-time president Shehu Shagari, said he received the money after Chief Anenih had asked him to suggest nine apolitical but respected individuals from the north who will help mobilise their subjects for hitch-free 2015 general election.
Alhaji Yakassai said: “Yes, myself and eight others collected N53m from Chief Tony Anenih to pay advocacy visit to prominent northern emirs to mobilise their subjects for a hitch-free 2015 general elections.”
Among those listed as beneficiaries include former minister of state for foreign affairs Alhaji Mamman Anka, Barrister Bitrus Gwada, Alhaji Suleiman Lawal, Dr Bahago, Chief John Macklink and Senator Sodangi. One of the named beneficiaries, however, Chief John Mankilik has denied knowledge of the source of the money.
Chief Mankilik, who was the secretary of the committee, said: "I was in the committee and Yakassai was the chairman and I was the secretary. He never gave me any money except when we were travelling.
"He only gave us the money we needed for the journey. He never told me the source of the money or how he was spending it, so as he was the one who knew everything, he should explain how he spent whatever was given to him.”
It is believed that the money collected from Chief Anenih was for the group’s members allowances, transportation and accommodation on a tour that took them to 18 states across northern Nigeria. Last week, Alhaji Yakasai had denied ever receiving financial patronage from the Jonathan administration.
He confessed, however, that they visited several prominent traditional rulers across northern Nigeria including the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, the emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II, the emir of Zazzau Alhaji Shehu Idris and the emir of Gwandu. Others visited were the emirs of Anka, Ilorin, Nassarawa, Minnie, Bauchi, Zuru, Kebbi, Katsina, Dutse, Hadejia, the emir of Daurawa, the Tor Tiv, the Gwom Gbom Jos, the Ohimege Igu, the Kotonkarfe, the Etsu of Abaji, the Etsu Nupe and the Atta Igala.
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