Governor Yari Clears Self From Alleged Financial Misconduct

Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari has broken his silence over allegation of ownership of a $3million hotel in Lekki area of Lagos reportedly levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),  vowing to sue the anti graft agency.

It would be recalled that an online medium, Sahara Reporters had quoted officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying they have discovered a hotel being constructed by Governor Yari of Zamfara State, with $3million from the London-Paris Club loan refund.

According to the report, Yari, who is the chairman of the Governor’s Forum, allegedly diverted N19billion reportedly meant for “consultants” from the Paris club loan refund.

But speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, the zamfara state governor claimed that the allegation is baseless, pointing out that President Muhammadu Buhari is the target of the attack.

Governor Yari explained that contrary to insinuation, President Buhari is being targeted by some politicians who he did not disclose, “the target is the president because some people want to challenge him on where he got the money to do the Ondo election. Where did you get the money to do Ondo election? and you are saying you are fighting corruption and then you are holding some other people because they used other monies to contest election, someone like Dasuki” Yari said.

“Above all, I am preparing with my lawyers to go to court to prove my innocence” he said.

“So to us in the Nigerian Governors Forum we are very clear that all the allegations raised by any other person is rubbish  because it has no bases. For one if you say $3 million, in Zamfara state for six years I have collected over N300 billion naira and I cannot find anywhere to take $3 million if I am in need of $3 million? And a dollar was N156 .

“ In the last tenure, the monies from both the local government and state government put together was over N300 billion and the dollar was N156.  If I am looking for money or I am hungry for money to establish a hotel if there is anything like establishment of such hotel, if I am looking for $3 million is it NGF that I will go to, having the state funds under my charge. So I am waiting for them to tell me where the plot is, where the hotel is and how they came about it.

He emphasized “taking note that there is a responsibility given to you by the people on trust if I am looking for $3 million, having the state funds under my charge, so I am waiting for them to tell you where the hotel is, where the plot is and how they came about it and above all, I am preparing my lawyers and we are heading to court”.

He added “well you see the problem of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, let me be clear to you, the issue here in the Nigerian Governors Forum on the London-Paris club has nothing to do with the real matter but it is full of politics.

“The money came  on the verge of doing Ondo election and some of the politicians that are not  happy with the outcome of the election thought that the Governors Forum used consultancy fee to win the Ondo election so they are not happy with the outcome.  Unfortunately it is not PDP it is the APC-APC.‎ So the target of the $3.5 million allegation is not Yari.

“So the target is not me the target is the president which to me they didn’t know how this thing happened but they are hammering on Yari, may be Yari has  other things to say, no, it is not me, it is the president they are after and there is nothing like that.

“This is the real matter and the EFCC is playing to the gallery. All these things they are saying, there is nothing like that. So let me tell you that the issue of the N19 billion and the issue of Yari  and the issue of Ondo election there is no connection but some politicians are looking at it and they want to hammer from there and to our dismay EFCC is dancing to the tune of those people” Yari saidZamfara state governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari has broken his silence over allegation of ownership of a $3million hotel in Lekki area of Lagos reportedly levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),  vowing to sue the anti graft agency.

It would be recalled that an online medium, Sahara Reporters had quoted officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying they have discovered a hotel being constructed by Governor Yari of Zamfara State, with $3million from the London-Paris Club loan refund.

According to the report, Yari, who is the chairman of the Governor’s Forum, allegedly diverted N19billion reportedly meant for “consultants” from the Paris club loan refund.

But speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, the zamfara state governor  claimed that the allegation is baseless, pointing out that President Muhammadu Buhari is the target of the attack.

According to the governor and ‎contrary to insinuations, explained that  President Buhari is being targeted by some politicians who Yari did not disclose, “the target is the president because some people want to challenge him on where he got the money to do the Ondo election. Where did you get the money to do Ondo election? and you are saying you are fighting corruption and then you are holding some other people because they used other monies to contest election, someone like Dasuki” Yari said.

“Above all, I am preparing with my lawyers to go to court to prove my innocence” he said.

Continuing; “so to us in the Nigerian Governors Forum we are very clear that all the allegations raised by any other person is rubbish  because it has no bases. For one if you say $3 million, in Zamfara state for six years I have collected over N300 billion naira and I cannot find anywhere to take $3 million if I am in need of $3 million? And a dollar was N156 . In the last tenure, the monies from both the local government and state government put together was over N300 billion and the dollar was N156.  If I am looking for money or I am hungry for money to establish a hotel if there is anything like establishment of such hotel, if I am looking for $3 million is it NGF that I will go to, having the state funds under my charge. So I am waiting for them to tell me where the plot is, where the hotel is and how they came about it.

He emphasized “taking note that there is a responsibility given to you by the people on trust if I am looking for $3 million, having the state funds under my charge, so I am waiting for them to tell you where the hotel is, where the plot is and how they came about it and above all, I am preparing my lawyers and we are heading to court”.

He added “well you see the problem of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, let me be clear to you, the issue here in the Nigerian Governors Forum on the London-Paris club has nothing to do with the real matter but it is full of politics.

“The money came  on the verge of doing Ondo election and some of the politicians that are not  happy with the outcome of the election thought that the Governors Forum used consultancy fee to win the Ondo election so they are not happy with the outcome.  Unfortunately it is not PDP it is the APC-APC.‎ So the target of the $3.5 million allegation is not Yari.

“So the target is not me the target is the president which to me they didn’t know how this thing happened but they are hammering on Yari, may be Yari has  other things to say, no, it is not me, it is the president they are after and there is nothing like that.

“This is the real matter and the EFCC is playing to the gallery. All these things they are saying, there is nothing like that. So let me tell you that the issue of the N19 billion and the issue of Yari  and the issue of Ondo election there is no connection but some politicians are looking at it and they want to hammer from there and to our dismay EFCC is dancing to the tune of those people” Yari said