Former Nigeria’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Bashir Wali has described his interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as the most embarrassing part of his life.
In a telephone chat with Greenbarge Reporters today, Monday, Ambassador Wali expressed surprise that campaign funds which are universally regarded as part of the democratic practice, are being questioned in Nigeria.
He said however that there was no way he would have asked those who released the fund to him to execute the Presidential campaign in Kano state where the fund came from, especially, when the Jonathan Presidency made the world to know that various organizations and individuals, including Fulani’s Miyetti Allah and a youth corper donated billions of naira to the Presidential campaign fund.
President Jonathan’s re-election campaign fund which was launched in December 2014 ahead of the 2015 Presidential election netted a staggering N21.27 billion with the chairman of the launching, Mr. Tunde Ayeni giving out N2 Billion even as players in the Oil and Gas sector announced a donation of N5 billion; those in Real Estate and Building donated N4 billion; Transport and Aviation, N1 billion; Food and Agriculture, N500 million; Power, N500 million; Construction, N310 million; Road Construction, N250 million; National Automative Association, N450 million; and Shelter Development Limited, N250 million.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Professor Jerry Gana announced the donation, on behalf of himself and his friends and associates in the power sector of N5 billion even as the PDP Governors Forum announced a total donation of N1.05 billion while each 21 of the PDP governors donated N50 million. The SIFAX Group announced N100 million donation, while PDP stakeholders in Rivers State supported Jonathan’s bid with N50 million. The 15 states on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission donated a total of N15 million, among other donations. Several private individuals also gave donations.
Ambassador Aminu Wali said that he had served this country for over 30 years, including as Presidential liaison officer at the National Assembly, as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, as Ambassador to China among others, but that he had never been found to be involved in any shady financial transactions.
“I pride myself as a strong fighter against corruption, especially financial crime,” the former Minister said.
Ambassador Aminu Wali had earlier spoken on a local radio programme monitored in Kano, where he admitted receiving N950 million campaign funds as the head of a seven-man committee for the Presidential campaign in Kano State.
He said that he disbursed the funds to all the campaign stakeholders, up to the ward level, for the purpose such funds were meant.
The former minister said however that after explaining his role on the disbursement of the funds to the EFCC, he was allowed to take his leave. [myad]
