Bribery Allegation: DSS, EFCC Must Probe NPA DG’s $2Million To APC Leaders – NPF

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Northern Professionals Forum (NPF), has called on the nation’s anti-graft agencies and the Department of State Services to as a matter of national importance investigate the alleged two million dollars the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman doll out to top officials of the All Progressive Congress (APC),  to sway the party’s Kaduna Central Senatorial district ticket to Uba Sani  from  Senator Shehu Sani who was earlier handed the automatic ticket by the National Working Committee of the party.

NPF which rose from an emergency meeting in Kaduna on Monday said in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mallam Abdulrahim Mohammed that the way and manner the whole scenario unfolded  leaves much to be desired and calls for serious questioning .

The forum stressed that the acrimony between Senator Shehu Sani and Governor Nasir el-Rufai was so glaring that the governor swore that Senator Sani would never get the APC ticket as long as he remains the governor of the state.

The Forum members said they were not surprised when they read on Saharareporters that there was money for ticket for the Kaduna senatorial seat, adding that Saharareporters must have stumbled on concrete and genuine fact before going to press, as they cannot just concoct stories and publish considering their journalistic pedigree.

The NPF noted that following the clearance of Senator Shehu Sani as the bona fide candidate of the party which was confirmed by officials of the APC National Working Committee in the public domain, the nation was shocked to see that his name was replaced with that of Uba Sani considering the fact he Uba Sani was not even screened and cleared by the screening committee set up by the party.

The statement further said; “We were made to understand that the Kaduna state governor after the clearance of Shehu Sani made Abuja his home and at that point in time Hadiza Bala Usman was also seen in Abuja. We strongly believe that a lot of manipulations took place in Abuja which resulted to the removal of Shehu Sani’s name and the subsequent announcement of Uba Sani as the candidate for Kaduna Central.

“This is not good for the nation’s democracy; Even the PDP which was accused of gross impunity for 16 good years did not do anything close to what the All Progressive Party leadership as it is presently constituted is doing.”

The Northern Professional Forum stressed that the serious allegation of financial inducement amounting to millions of dollars by some state governors and desperate politicians against the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole which resulted in his interrogation by the DSS could not be further from the truth.

“This is a serious matter that must not be swept under the carpet. There is the urgent need for the DSS and EFCC to go deep in the investigations and question some key party chieftains in the APC. A lot will be revealed and exposed. Nigeria Ports Authority Chief Executive’s rebuttal is not enough and  the DSS and EFCC should wade in without delay.

“Even though Senator Shehu Sani has since defected to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), to actualize his reelection bid, it is incumbent on the two agencies to expose the culprits so as to serve as deterrent to desperate officials who are bent on circumventing the system to achieve their selfish aims.