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OPEN LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC) BY ALH. (DR.) ATTAHIRU D. BAFARAWA (Garkuwan Sokoto) Former Executive Governor
The
Chairman will recall that in the cause of my campaign in the various
States of the Federation, I indicated that in addition to various
development projects that we have been able to put in place in every
nook and cranny of Sokoto State, we had a cash balance of N13 Billion in
the State and Local Government Accounts, reserved as savings for the
rainy day. I am happy to say that up to 1st May 2007, we had
that same amount.
2.
However,
as part of our preparations for the handing over to the new
administration, the following expenditure had to be made:
i.
Payment of Salaries and Leave Grant = N1, 070, 933, 756.99
ii.
Payment of Severance Gratuity to the State Political Office Holders =
N347, 784, 109.85
iii.
Garnishee Order by Lagos Fed. High Court = N95, 857, 749.98
iv.
Payment of Severance Allowance to the L/Govt Political Office Holders =
N471, 274, 447.18
v.
Payment for rehabilitation of burnt Central Market =
N253, 789, 447.73
After all
these expenditure, the State Government had handed over the sum of N11,
893, 624, 428.54 to the incoming Administration as at 29th
May, 2007 distributed as follows:-
A.
Cash in
Banks = N843, 926, 139.57
B.
UBA
Shares (174, 857, 112 units) equal to N6, 642, 831, 685.06
C.
FAAC (May, 2007) = N3, 116, 866, 603.97
Sub-Total for State Govt Account = N10, 593, 624,
428.58
D.
Funds
with Local Govt Joint Acct = N1, 300, 000, 000.00
Total Funds handed over = N11, 893, 624, 428.54
3.
In order
to ensure that the incoming Governor is adequately briefed on what we
will be handing over to him, I assigned the State Deputy Governor and
Head of Civil Service to invite him for a meeting to enable us discuss
our handing over notes. When they contacted him, he insisted that I
should personally talk to him on the matter. So, I called him on phone
and he agreed to come for the meeting on Thursday, 24th May
2007 between 2:00 – 4:00pm. He however on the said day, called the Head
of Service at 1:00pm and told him that he would not be chanced, until
Friday. I replied that I had the plan of going to Abuja on Friday and
that if he could make it between 9:00 – 11:00am, I will be chanced to
meet him. He replied that since I would be travelling, we should
postpone the meeting till Monday, 28th May 2007. Knowing
fully well the importance of our meeting, I directed that the Head of
Civil Service to inform him that I had postponed my journey and that he
should fix a time that was most convenient to him for the meeting. He
however replied through my emissary that he will not be coming for the
meeting, since I did not recognise him as Governor-Elect and that I
didn’t send him a congratulatory letter.
4.
In spite
of all these, and as it was my sacred responsibility to ensure smooth
handing over, I assigned the Commissioner of Police, Director State
Service and Brigade Commander at separate occasions to meet him and
convince him on the expediency of our meeting. I explained to them that
the mere fact that I extended the invitation to him for a meeting was
recognition of the fact that he was a Governor-Elect, as I could only
discuss my handing over notes with the Governor-Elect. Furthermore, I
had earlier set up a handing over Committee headed by my Deputy to work
hand-in-hand with the various Committees set up by the Governor-Elect in
addition to the fact that whatever funds required by the Transition
Committees was duly released by my administration. I couldn’t have taken
all these measures, if I had not recognised him as the Governor-Elect.
To cut the story short, as at the time of writing this, the Governor has
refused to meet me for detailed discussions on our handing over notes.
5.
To my
surprise however, in his inaugural address, the Governor stated that
“the much-celebrated N13 Billion purported to be bequeathed by the
outgoing administration could not be traced, instead almost all the
major Government Accounts were found to have been overdrawn to the tune
of over N2 Billion. While other Accounts were in deficits, and between
16th April and last week, about N500 Million were paid to top
Government officials, as imprest.”
6.
This is
the kind of mix-up I had wanted to avoid; hence my insistence on taking
the Governor through the documents we handed over to him. One would have
thought that the incoming Governor will rely more on what was handed
over to him by the outgoing administration rather than what his
transition committee has submitted to him. One would have expected him
to invite either myself or my Commissioner of Finance to clarify
perceived discrepancies between what was handed over to him by our
administration, but not refuting the figures given to him at the venue
of the swearing-in ceremony, when he had not even gone through the
handing over notes.
7.
Mr.
Chairman, I consider this to be a calculated attempt not only to create
confusion to achieve some ulterior motives but also to tarnish my
hard-earned integrity. I will therefore like to appeal to the Chairman
of the Commission to take urgent steps to freeze all State Governments
Accounts in Sokoto State so as to allow for a thorough investigation to
confirm the actual funds left behind by our administration. This will go
a long way in protecting our image and bringing sanity in the State.
8.
While
looking forward to your urgent response on this matter, please accept
the assurances of my highest regards.
ALH.
(DR.) ATTAHIRU D. BAFARAWA
(Garkuwan
Sokoto)
Former
Executive Governor, Sokoto State
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