Bauchi Indigenes Ask EFCC To Probe Governor Bala Mohammed For Awarding N4.6bn Contract To Own Company

Some prominent indigenes of Bauchi State have asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe Governor Bala Mohammed for awarding Adda Nigeria Ltd, a company in which he is a director, a fraudulent contract worth N4.6bn, in clear contravention of section 25 of the State Procurement Act.

In a petition sighted by SaharaReporters and addressed to the anti-graft agency, they alleged that the contract, which was for the supply of 105 assorted cars, was initially put at N2.6bn but Mohammed in connivance with some state officials inflated it.

Part of the petition reads, “Award of N3.6bn contract, later reviewed to N4.6bn to Adda Nigeria Ltd in violation of sections 5 and 6 of the code of conduct for public officers and section 25 of the Bauchi State procurement act. In order to fund the contract, the governor illegally obtained loan of N3.5bn from UBA. The governor compelled UBA to transfer the total amount of N3.5n directly to Adda Nigeria Ltd, a company which he had 20% stakes in and the balance of 80% stakes held on his behalf by Abdullahi Salihu Bawa, his childhood friend and known front.

“The loan of N3.5bn went into the governor’s private company account without having to pass through the state treasury. As a result, the governor expended the total amount of N3.6bn without remitting statutory taxes to the state. The initial costing of the supply of 105 assorted cars was generously put at N2.6bn. The governor in connivance with some unscrupulous state officials inflated it to by N900m.

“We can confirm that the governor’s son, Abdullahi Bala Mohammed received various funds transfers directly from the N4.6bn windfall from Adda Nigeria Ltd, a company owned and managed solely on the directive of his father who is the governor. Specifically, bulk of the first tranche of the loan of N3.5bn paid directly into the account of Adda Nigeria Ltd were transferred to BDCs and converted to dollars for bribe seeking officials in different places.

“No wonder, the governor had to jerk up the contract amount by N1bn. Since he had used a bulk of the N3.5bn as bribes to save himself and his family members from embarrassment. No due process was followed in the award and implementation of the N4.6bn contract awarded to the governor’s company, Adda Nigeria Ltd.

“To make matter worse, there was no line in Bauchi State 2019 budget that provided for the sum of N4.6bn for the supply of assorted vehicles. Spending without legislation, constitutes a breach of the constitution and a breach of the governor’s oath of office to govern according to laws not by his whims and caprices.”

They further accused the Registrar General of Corporate Affairs Commission, Garba Abubakar,.of removing the governor’s name as director of the company through fraudulent means.

“To try and distance the governor from the fraud perpetrated through Adda Nigeria Ltd, the governor in connivance with Abdullahi Salihu Bawa (Yari) escalated their crimes from the state level to federal level. The duo succeeding procuring the assistant of the Registrar General of CAC, Garba Abubakar, in removing Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed’s name as director of Adda Nigeria Ltd through fraudulent means.

“It’s no longer secret that the RG, CAC Garba Abubakar, has removed Adda Nigeria Limited’s file for the CAC shelf where it should be ordinarily be. Why should the RG do that and why is he trying to cover for the crimes of others while serving in a government that prides itself on war against corruption?,” they asked.