By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
Former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa yesterday formerly revisits issue on corruption with a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) against his successor, former Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko over the N13 bn he allegedly left behind for his successor.
Bafarawa who arrived unscheduled at the agency’s newly established Zonal Office in Sokoto at about 3:10pm , submitted copies of the petition to the Zonal Head, Mr Ahmed Lateef.
According to him, he was in the office to present his claims against Wamakko for the commission to revisit and work on the petition accordingly.
The former governor who left office in 2007 said , ” for eleven years I have been the centre of accusation and was eventually discharged and acquitted after been detained for flimsy charges.
” Now that Wamakko like myself has no immunity, let him come and defend himself.
” For the eleven years I went through the trial, only 4 witnesses were produced. I left over N11.8 billion in cash and another N500 million and over N1.bn worth of iron rods.
” Wamakko should come and defend himself on all he inherited from me. Where is the money for the iron rods he sold.”
Bafarawa who also was a presidential aspirant on the platform of PDP explained that he was the first person to suggest to the FG that states and local governments should make public their federal allocations and how they manage same through publications for transparency and accountability. But to my utter dismay, I became the accused.”
He told the EFCC Zonal Head that he was armed with documented evidence to support his claims.
” I am ready to go to learnt to make myself available in defence of the petition.
” I can’t sit and watch my reputation and name tarnished. I have lost my business and large sums across the world as a result of the case”, he raised alarm.
Receiving the former governor who submitted the petition in pages, the Zonal Head Ahmed Lateef who welcomed Bafarawa’s steps, said” though the office is just being put in place. We are not in the true picture of what happened but assured him that as soon as the office is fully functional, we will look into the submission and will invite you when appropriate for further details or explanation.
” Your petition is number 0001. You should bear in mind that the commission don’t take sides. Our chairman has no permanent friend. If you do the right thing, you are his friend, but otherwise, you are not”, he told him.
