EFCC Probes Ex-Zamfara Governor Sen. Ahmed Sani Over N1 Billion Constituency Projects

Simmering trouble is brewing in Zamfara State, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has begun questioning  two top politicians in the state and officials of the Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority over the diversion of 17 projects worth over N1 billion.

The two politicians accused of diverting the projects are- Sen. Ahmed Rufai Sani, who represents Zamfara West Senatorial District and Muazu Lawal, who represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency all under the Gummi Emirate Council of the state. The petition against them was fired and sent to the EFCC by Mohammed Sani Tokari, a lawyer, on behalf of the Gummi Emirate Development Association, prompting the anti-graft agency to move into action.

Based on the petition, the EFCC has already questioned Muazu Lawal on what he know about the alleged diversion but Saturday Vanguard could not get Senator Sani Ahmed, a former governor of the State to comment on the allegation. His phone appeared switched off and sms sent to him has not been responded to more than a week after it was sent.

In the petition, which was copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and other law enforcement agencies, the petitioner accused the two lawmakers of conniving with the Sokoto Rima River Development Authority to short-change the people.

“As laudable as these projects are, our representatives at the NASS in connivance with the officials of the SRRBDA have been diverting the projects to their personal financial gains, thereby betraying the confidence and trust vested on them by these innocent people. We regard this as unpatriotic act which should not be allowed to continue.

“We feel that we should forward this petition for your proper investigation against Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani, Zamfara West Senatorial District and Hon. Muazu Lawal Birinin Tudu, member representing Gummi, Bukkuyum Federal Constituency,” the petition said.

To make their point that the projects were not on the ground despite the release of money for them, the Emirate Council wrote to the SRRBDA to furnish them with the details and cost of constituency projects undertaken by the two lawmakers from 2007 to 2013, and the federal agency obliged with same. A list of seven items of expenditure on which the over N1 billion was used, shows a clear repetition of same projects over a period of five years.

Between 2007 and 2013, “Construction of small, minor irrigation projects and provision of hand pumps  as well as the construction of ‘earth dams’ for Zamfara West and some communities in Gummi/Bukkuyum , ’  featured in all the years with only the variation of the contractual prices for each year, thereby casting doubt on the veracity of such projects. The list obtained by Saturday Vanguard shows that there were no constituency projects undertaken by the agency for the two lawmakers in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

According to him, the projects approved for his constituency, have been duly executed and challenged his accusers to undertake a tour to the projects sites to confirm his claim. Lawal said: “I can tell you that what has been written against me is borne out of either sheer mischief or absolute ignorance by the writers.

I have already made my submission to the EFCC and they are free to go to the two local government areas under my jurisdiction to confirm if the said projects have been carried out or not.

Source:vanguardngr.com