August 21, (THEWILL) – The lead consultant, who facilitated the London and Paris Club refunds, Senator Ned Nwoko, has alleged that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) demanded and received the sum of $100 million to prosecute elections in some states.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Saturday, Nwoko alleged that when he submitted a bill of $350 million as his consultancy fee, the state governors asked to be given 50 percent of it before it could be honoured.
He said a former chairman of the forum had explained to him that the money was needed to prosecute elections in Bauchi, Ekiti, and Ondo states.
According to him, it was the Ministry of Justice that intervened before the governors eventually received the sum of $100 million.
In a no-holds-barred remarks, Nwoko alleged that the money being owed his firm, Linas International Limited, was $68 million and not $418 million, as bandied by the leadership of the NGF and made public.
He equally distanced the firm from the $418 million figure being claimed by the NGF, saying it must be a miscalculation, adding that “we have nothing to do with it.”
Nwoko also absolved the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, of any wrongdoing, saying the minister was only trying to ensure that the right thing was done and the law obeyed, adding that the agreements and judgements being executed were reached before the emergence of the current administration.
Nwoko also accused the current chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, of telling a litany of lies over the payment to the consultant.
“For a very long time, the governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of NGF has said so many inconsistent and misleading things. I felt I should restrain myself from joining issues with him.”
He also faulted the NGF for saying that there was no indemnity, even as he deflected the position of the governors that there is a Supreme Court judgement against LINAS or Ned Nwoko, adding, “If there is any, I will volunteer to forgo my money.
“I am compelled to debunk the litany of lies by the Chairman of Governors Forum. It is false that the NGF did not act or represent the state governors over the current round of refund on the Paris Club.
“It is also false that past regimes refused to pay the consultancy fees. Refunds started under the Obasanjo regime. If the NGF had paid in accordance with agreement, this would have been averted.
“The NGF chairman, Governor Fayemi, said there was no court Order of mandamus against the Federal Ministry of Finance and Attorney General by Court Order dated 21st July, 2021 Federal High Court compelled Finance Minister, DMO DG and HAGF to either pay the value or issue Promissory Notes.
“The Governors gave the Federal Government Indemnity.
“The 1st Investigation over this matter was at the instance of the HAGF. That the EFCC lacks technical expertise to Investigate this matter,
“Claims that states and local governments have not been fully paid notwithstanding that states have been paid $10billion following from the litigation I commenced In 2014 and LGAs $3.1billion following from the litigation I commenced In 2013.
“There is no court judgement in favour of NGF against either Linas International Limited or Ned Nwoko Solicitors. On the contrary, we have judgements against them which they are trying to circumvent by all means.”
While the leadership of the NGF is yet to speak on the allegations at the time of filing this report, THEWILL recalls that the governors, during their last meeting, faulted claims by the AGF and described his position on the deductions of $418 million from the Paris Club refund as self-serving and fraudulent, vowing to pursue the matter to the highest court of the land.
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