Some former and serving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the House of Representatives may have to refund about N600million allegedly shared to them under the last dispensation for the purpose of seeking re-election.
Several bigwigs of the party who allegedly partook of the slush funds are also expected to return to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the amount each of them collected.
Such PDP stalwarts include Bode George, Yerima Abdullahi; Peter Odili; Attahiru Bafarawa; Jim Nwobodo; Ahmadu Ali, and Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi who all got (N100m /$30,000) each. Others are Bello Sarkin Yaki (N200m); BAM Properties(N300m); Dalhatu Investment Limited(N1.5billion); Tony Anenih (N260m); and Iyorchia Ayu’s company ( N345m)
Investigation revealed that some former and serving members of the House of Representatives got N380million public funds to campaign for re-election.
The sum was allegedly transferred to Belsha Nigeria Limited’s bank account controlled by Bello Matanwalle for distribution to support some members of the House of Representatives for their re-election campaigns.
The beneficiary Reps allegedly collected sums ranging between N10million and N50million.
It was gathered that the N380million was not only the slush fund made available to the Reps seeking re-election.
Some of them, sources familiar with the disbursement said yesterday, got their share directly from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
In one of the payment mandates, Ref. No: ACCT/87/VOL.3/72 which was sent to the Branch Manager of Zenith Bank, K. City Plaza Branch, Wuse II Abuja, a new member of the House was given N50million through GTB Account 0022471014 while a ranking member smiled home with N150million remitted into UBA account 1007130385.
Yet, another Representative got his share through UBA account 1014721695 for N50million.
The EFCC has already retrieved more payment vouchers involving some members of the House.
It was learnt that the list might soon be out detailing how the affected Representatives.
A top source in the anti-graft agency said: “As we go into the trial of some accused persons, our ultimate goal is to retrieve looted funds. We will certainly ask most of these beneficiaries to refund the public funds illegally disbursed to them.
“We are eager to collect the funds back in order to channel them into the development of the nation.
“Some of these bigwigs have been making overtures to the EFCC to allow them to make refund instead of being put on trial.
“As President Muhammadu Buhari said, we will publish the list of those who may make refunds.
“A few of them will serve as our witnesses in court against accused persons.
“But we are looking for some of them who were invited but managed to sneak out of the country.
“Whatever the case and wherever they are hiding, we will bring them to justice.”
