By Demilade Michael
The New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP), has dragged its 2023 Presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and 13 others to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over alleged N2.5 billion fraud.
The petition signed by the National Secretary of the party, Oginni Olaposi Sunday, and sighted in Abeokuta, was titled: 'Petition against Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and 13 others over mismanagement and embezzlement of NNPP funds', was dated 2nd May, 2024 and was submitted to the EFCC headquarters, in Abuja same day.
In the petitioner, Oginni said, "in 2022, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso through his representatives, led by Elder Buba Galadima and other very well respected Nigerians, which include but not limited to Senator Hunkuyi Suleiman and Prof. Bem Angwe approached the leadership of the NNPP at the country home of Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam; founder of our great party.
"Present at the meeting, were the original members of our great party, including the current National Chairman of the party, Dr Major Agbo Gilbert and the expelled National Secretary of the party, Mr Dipo Olayoku".
"Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso requested through his representatives for an opportunity to contest for the office of the President of Nigeria on our political party platform.
"We obliged him at no cost with a memorandum of understanding entered into and duly signed by both parties.
"Accordingly, the National Executive Committee was dissolved and new officers elected to run the party. We did this with a very clean mind, but unknown to us, Senator Kwankwaso just wanted to use our political party to propagate the kwankwasia movement and equally use it for political gains
Oginni added, "as events unfolds, we realise that Senator Rabiu Musa kwankwaso was not interested in the presidential election, but rather using the platform to corruptly enrich himself monetarily.
"The whole thing became obvious when payments due to polling agents during the elections were denied, NNPP's members across the country became frustrated and till today, the agents allowance for 2023 general elections remained unpaid.
"It's worth noting that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso perpetrated evils of unimaginable fraud by using some boys he tagged " Kwankwasias Scholars" with the connivance of the defunct NWC led by Abba Kawu and Olayokun Oladipupo as payment officers across the vountry during the 2023 general elections. These so-called Kwankwasia Scholars were later ordered to return all the money back to him (Kwankwaso) without payment to the party agents till today throughout the federation.
"As we write this today, all the NNPP's polling agents are still demanding for their money and threatening breach of peace if not paid.
"Mr. Chairman sir, you may be surprised to know that till today all the money from the sales of nomination forms, membership subscription fee and donations made by donors and friends of the party are yet to be accounted for.
"Recognizing the fact that anyone coming to equity must come with clean hands, it is our concern that a party with the potentiality of forming a government of a new Nigeria must make sure that charity begins at home by purging ourselves of every tendency of vorruption and mismanagement of funds.
"On the aforementioned allegations, we hereby request that you investigate the account of New Nigeria People's Party, starting from March 2022, till date.
"The mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds under the control and leadership of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso cannot be overemphasized.
"The under listed people are in a better position to help the Economic and Financial Crime Commission in the course of investigation to trace the party funds from March2022 to April 2024.
"The mismanagement and inherent corruption under the watch of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Abba Kawu, ,Dipo Olayokun and Elder Buba Galadima and others is however estimated to the sum of 2.5billion Naira in the party's United Bank of Africa (UBA) Account with account name - New Nigeria Peoples Party and Account Number 1024986303.
"Consequently, another campaign account created by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to receive campaign donations and other party funds are strongly suspected to have been misappropriated with a good chunk of the stolen money passing through the personal accounts of Abba Kawu, the former Acting National Chairman, Oladipupo Olayoku, the expelled National Secretary, Folashade Aliyu Senator Kwankwaso's personal aide, Senator Kwankwaso himself as the Presidential candidate, Buba Galadima and others that inquiry into the account will reveal.
"All previous attempts by the Board of Trustees of party to get Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his accomplices to provide details of what happened to party funds have been continually rebuffed and resisted.
"As a political party with total respect for the rule of law, we decided to avoid a breach of peace and possible violence by not confronting them physically, hence one of the greatest needs for this petition.
"We sincerely thank your Indefagitable commission for your expected quick intervention to ensure that there is no sacred cow and that accountability is the best antidote to corruption in our national polity", he concluded
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