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Senators who may join Dariye in jail

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6 years ago

July 2, 2018

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Like Senator Joshua Dariye who was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment on June 12 for embezzling N1.162 billion ecological funds belonging to Plateau State, there are many other serving members of the Senate who are either being prosecuted by the EFCC or are under investigation, and whose fates seem to be hanging in the balance.

National Daily gathered that top on the list of these embattled senators is Senator Peter Nwoboshi, representing Delta-North senatorial district.

Nwoboshi, National Daily gathered, currently on bail after two days in prison, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The senator whose trial started on June 20 at the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court was accused of awarding contracts worth over N6 billion to 15 companies belonging to him and his cronies in 2016.

Senator Danjuma Goje, representing Gombe Central senatorial district is another senator whose fate hangs in the balance.

Goje, a former governor of Gombe state is undergoing trial at the Federal High Court, Gombe, for allegedly defrauding the state to the tune of N5 billion.

He was accused of obtaining a loan of N5 billion from a new generation bank with a forged document, purporting that the Gombe State House of Assembly approved the loan.

EFCC reportedly alleged that Goje forged the signature of Shehu Atiku, Clerk of the Gombe State House of Assembly, to facilitate the loan which he claimed was for infrastructural projects, but which was diverted and laundered.

Senator Abdulaziz Nyako, representing Adamawa Central, is the son of Murtala Nyako, former governor of Adamawa state. Both men are currently facing a 37-count corruption charge before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The EFCC reportedly accused both Nyakos, alongside two others, of siphoning over N15 billion from the Adamawa state treasury, using five proxy companies. Though the younger Nyako seemed to have won the first round of battle against the EFCC, having secured a court ruling ordering the anti-graft agency to pay him N12.5 million in damages for illegal detention, the bigger case continues in court, albeit after some delay following the death of the trial judge, Justice Evoh Chukwu.

Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom Northeast, was arrested by the EFCC for allegedly receiving vehicles worth over N300 million from Jide Omokore, an oil dealer who is also facing corruption charges.

Akpan denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the vehicles from Omokore were personal gifts and also a show of support for his governorship ambition.

He has since been released on bail. Meanwhile, the federal government has also filed new criminal charges against Senator Akpan at the Federal High Court, Abuja over his failure to declare his assets.

Another senator who is in the eye of the storm is former aviation minister, Stella Oduah.

She is currently under investigation by the EFCC over her alleged involvement in a N9.4 billion contract for the supply of security equipment to 22 airports across the nation.

A private company, Psybernetix Limited, had reportedly petitioned the EFCC, alleging that Oduah had diverted contracts initially awarded to it, to some other companies that had zero competence.

The EFCC is also reportedly probing the allegation of fraud worth N5.4 billion, allegedly carried out by David Mark, during his tenure as Senate President from 2007 to 2015, as well as for funds he allegedly received from Sambo Dasuki, the embattled former national security adviser.

So far, no charges have been filed, and Mark has insisted that he is innocent of the charges against him, describing the EFCC’s investigation as “chasing shadows”.

The deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu is facing fraud allegations levelled against him by the federal government.

The Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, headed by Okoi Obono-Obla, has reportedly filed a suit in court seeking the forfeiture of 22 luxury apartments, said to belong to Ekweremadu, but which he did not include in his assets declaration form.

Nine of the targeted properties are said to be in Abuja, two in London, UK, eight in Dubai, UAE and three in Florida, US.

Ekweremadu denied any wrongdoing and the case is still before the Federal High Court, Abuja.