Connect with us

News

Ogun govt dismisses report on payment of $50,000 to Gov Abiodun’s convicted aide for business transaction

Published

on

The Ogun State government denied paying a convicted fraudster, Bidemi Rufai,$50,000 for bringing investors to the state during his short spell as special assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun.

A report emerged recently that the governor was paying $50,000 to Rufai who was sentenced to five years in prison for $350,000 fraud by a court in the United States in September for any business transaction.

The report added that the convict was also paid $2,000 monthly as a special assistant on housing to the governor.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin, the governor declared that the convict never had a strong relationship with Governor Abiodun before his appointment.

Rufai, according to the government, was nominated for the position like other aides to the governors by his ward and not as a result of any special favors given to Abiodun during the 2019 governorship election.

READ ALSO: US Court orders indefinite detention of Ogun Gov’s ex-aide, Abidemi Rufai

The statement read:“Records in the state never showed that Rufai, while serving in the state, brought a single investor or facilitated any investment from the United States of America, wondering how the former political aide would then be paid $50,000 for a deal that never took place.

“Bidemi Rufai was appointed as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Housing and was nominated for appointment barely three months before he was arrested.

“He had not resumed formerly and had no official office to transact business. He wasn’t part of the Ogun State Economic Management Team and have got no input into the state government activities. His appointment was based on his activities in his ward. He didn’t sit in the State Executive Council meetings and couldn’t have had inputs in policies of the state government.

“The governor had no deal with Rufai on any transaction. He brought not a single one. They can check with the US embassy.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

twenty + fifteen =