EFCC interrogates Kwara govt, assembly officials over N400m illegal payments

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has started probing alleged illegal payment of N400 million to some members of the Kwara State House of Assembly and the State Executive Council (SEC) members.

The anti-graft agency is working on a petition which accused the state’s lawmakers and SEC of illegally receiving their severance payment before the expiration of their tenures, when by law, the money was supposed to be paid to them by the incoming government of the state.

The payment, the petitioner had argued did not follow due process.

Disclosing its action on the matter in a statement, EFCC’s acting Head, Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, said already the Ilorin zonal office of the anti-graft agency was quizzing the secretary to the state government, Sola Gold, and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Kperogi Jummai, over the alleged payment.

According to EFCC all 25 lawmakers in the state and some members of the SEC two weeks ago got about N400 million in severance gratuity before the expiration of their tenure.

EFCC statement read, “The petitioner said even though the lawmakers and members of the State Executive Council are entitled to severance payment, it was the next administration that was supposed to pay the money.

“It was further alleged that the state government, with selfish intent, swiftly paid the money before the expiration of their terms.

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“According to the petitioner, more worrisome was the issue of furniture allowance running into hundreds of millions of naira, which they wanted paid along with severance gratuity.”

The EFCC further said it confirmed from a letter written by the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmed, to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, that the lawmakers were entitled to severance gratuity at the end of their tenure, which terminates on June 7.

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