Abuja indigenes, NGO drag AMAC chair to EFCC over alleged misappropriation

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Some indigenes of the nation’s capital and a non governmental organisation, under the auspices of Civil Society for Human Right and Rehabilitation have dragged the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Candido, to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over misappropriation of funds.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, the spokesperson of the NGO, Yunusa Yusuf, said the organisation was worried that the lack of financial prudence by the current leadership of AMAC area council has affected developmental projects.

“The amount of money accrued to AMAC as an institution is more than states like Niger and Gigawa. Also, allegation of siding with revenue generators and asking them to keep 80% and pay council 20% is worrisome. We also know that his wife’s company is in charge of contract in the council. We want him to stand and defend himself. The indigenes have already petitioned EFCC, ICPC and the council legislature which has summoned the chairman to appear yesterday by 2 o’clock to free himself.

“He should explain what he has done with the revenue. We want to know why the revenue meant for the development of the people found its way in to private pockets.

“We want the fight against corruption in AMAC to continue. We want the leadership to be accountable to the people. Therefore, the Chairman should come out and explain himself to the people instead of sponsoring faceless groups”.

In a petition received by the EFCC dated 27th January 2020, a copy made available to newsmen on Thursday, the NGO said “We the Civil Society For Human Rights and Rehabilitation, a Non Governmental Organization with the aim to ensure good governance in Nigeria, duly incorporated in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with interest on good governance, accountability and protection and defence of human rights and abuse of office is making this petition against the Honorable Chairman of AMAC who in the discharge of his official duties and in disregard of the relevant Appropriation Act, Procurement Act and other laws committed the several infractions as detailed below:

“It must be noted that these infractions are targeted at creating an opaque financial regime that is unaccountable and unregulated as demonstrated.”

The anti-corruption organisation also accused the council boss of failure to furnish periodic reports as stipulated by the law, “Contrary to clear provisions of the Appropriation Act Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido, the council chairman has consistently and continuously failed”.

Meanwhile, Candido, told newsmen recently that the allegations against him were false.

He said, funds earned by the Council is accumulative of N9 billion, within the period under review which according to him, a whopping N6.1 billion was committed to staff salaries and remaining channelled into the execute various projects that are ongoing in the Area Council.