The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has denied accepting $100 million for campaigns from the $418 million Paris Club Refund.

Lead Consultant of Linas International Limited, Ned Nwoko, had on Saturday accused the NGF of receiving $100 million for elections in Ekiti, Ondo, and Bauchi states.

Nwoko also alleged that the governors demanded 50 per cent of $300 million bill which is consultancy fees submitted while the state governors threatened to “frustrate” the payment if the consultants did not play along.

He further revealed that it was a former chairman of the NGF that demanded the 50 per cent payment for elections in the three states.

According to him, $100 million was eventually paid to the governors after an intervention by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

But the NGF, in a statement by its director media and public affairs, on Sunday, Abdurazaque Bello-Barkindo, said that there is no basis in the allegation against the governors.

$418m refund: Govs accuse AGF of working for consultants

“The NGF is an apolitical organization that operates under defined principles targeted at good governance. Its role in the whole of this Paris Club refund debacle to consultants is to ensure that Nigeria citizens are not unlawfully deprived of resources meant for their development. NGF will not therefore waste its valuable time to defend unsubstantiated allegations against individuals or persons who are in a position to defend themselves.

“If Ned is sure of his facts, he is at liberty to approach the necessary authorities to bring to justice on any person or persons and all conspirators (including himself) who were allegedly involved in misappropriating public resources for campaign financing. The NGF hereby states unequivocally that it has not at any time been involved in or been in receipt of $100 million or any other funds from NED Nwoko to finance elections in any state.

“The NGF and its leadership remain focused and determined to diligently pursue all appeals on the Judgments on the Paris Club refunds. All that it requests of the AGF and the consultants is to allow the appeal processes to run and be exhausted. It may be that the consultants will successfully defend the appeals after which they will be paid. However, if they lose as RIOK NIGERIA LTD has lost; which is the most likely verdict that shall befall all the other consultants; let the public funds in issue remain protected.

“We urge Ned and the other consultants to end the media war and direct all energies towards defending the appeals.”

The governors argued that no amount of lies and half-truths can debase the facts, insisting that the court would determine the key issues they advanced.

“The facts are and will always remain: whether the claims of the consultants are lawful and justified under our Constitution and whether any judgment which is a subject of a pending appeal can be enforced or executed as the consultants now attempt to do? If both questions are answered in the negative, it does not matter if the contracts leading to the claims were entered into by any public official, past or present.

“No person or persons can agree to blatantly circumvent our Constitution and get away with it. Neither is the period when judgements were obtained of consequence in this case.

“Undoubtedly, the salient facts on the fraud associated with the Paris Club refunds can never be changed by a thousand Press Statements by the AGF or any of the Consultants.”

The NGF further gave breakdown of claims by the consultants and the earlier litigation by Nwoko.

“While Mr. Ned Nwoko strenuously tried to single out and justify his own bogus claim of $68 million; the total amount which all the consultants working in concert, collectively seek and claim from the States and Local Governments, albeit unlawfully is USD$418,953,690.59 broken down as follows: I. NED MUNIR NWOKO ($68,658,192.83); II. DR. TED ISIGHOHI EDWARDS ($159,000,000); iii. PANIC ALERT SECURITY SYSTEMS LTD ($47,831,920); IV. RIOK NIG. Ltd (USD142,028,941.95); V. PRINCE ORJI ORIZU (USD1,219,440.45); VI. BARRISTER OLAITAN BELLO (USD215,195.36)

TOTAL – USD$418,953,690.59

The Star