EFCC To Investigate Alleged N2.5bn fraud Against Kwankwaso

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has initiated an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of N2.5bn by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. This move comes following a petition by a faction within the NNPP, accusing Kwankwaso and his team of mismanaging party funds amounting to N2.5bn.

The funds in question are said to have been generated from the sales of nomination forms, membership subscription fees, and donations. The petition alleges that these funds were not properly accounted for, leading to the non-payment of allowances to party agents who worked for the party during the 2023 presidential and governorship elections.

The EFCC’s investigation is also looking into the failure of the Kwankwaso-led National Working Committee to pay these party agents. The anti-graft agency has invited the National Secretary of the NNPP, Comrade Oginni Olaposi, to substantiate the allegations of fraud levelled against Senator Kwankwaso and his Private Secretary, Mrs Folashade Aliu.

The petition also indicted the signatories to the United Bank of Africa (UBA) account of the NNPP, which includes Prof. Rufai Alkali, Abba Kawu, and Dipo Olayokun. The EFCC may be compelled to probe the sudden wealth of Dipo Olayokun and how he acquired properties in choice areas of Abuja in less than two years of his tenure as a signatory to the NNPP’s account.

In response to the allegations, a spokesman for Kwankwaso’s Presidential Campaign Council, Ladipo Johnson, dismissed the claims, stating that the party does not have a faction and that non-members cannot question how the party’s funds were spent.

As of now, the investigation is ongoing, and the EFCC has not made any official statements regarding the progress of the probe.