David Mark : EFCC uncovers ‘strange’ payment of N2.9b to 54 senators

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* Anti-Magu senators may send 15-man team to
Buhari

A curious payment of N2, 922, 236.310 to 54 Senators during the
tenure of Chief David Mark as Senate President is now engaging the
attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).

Each of the Senators is believed to have received N45, 509,
090.

It is one of the issues Senator Mark is expected to throw light
on during his ongoing interactive session with the agency, The
Nation learned authoritatively yesterday.

Five of the 54 Senators that benefitted from the N2.9billion
largesse are still members of the Green chambers of the National
Assembly.

Among them is a principal officer of the Senate.

While investigators suspect that the money may have been sourced
from the accounts of the National Assembly, citizen Ifeanyichukwu
Obazi-Nweze, in a petition, claimed that it was trapped cash of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The discovery of the cash disbursement by EFCC is believed to
have sparked the latest move by some Senators to block the
re-nomination of Mr. Ibrahim Magu for confirmation as substantive
Chairman of EFCC.

The lawmakers are said to have drawn the battle line with
him.

Sources said yesterday that they planned to send a 15-man secret
delegation to Buhari to protest against Magu and demand his
removal.

Investigation by The Nation showed that the ex-Senate President
and some of the beneficiaries of the largesse will have to explain
who authorized UBA to raise five manager cheques in favour of the
defunct Bank PHB and GTB.

The manager cheques were listed as MC No. 03816905
(N2,275,454,500)- Bank PHB; MC 03816915 (N133,400,000)-Bank PHB; MC
No. 03816909(N103, 800,000)-Bank PHB; and MC No.
03816918(N364,072.720)-GTB.

Investigation showed that each of the 50 beneficiary Senators
collected N45, 509, 090 amounting to N2,275,454,500.

A document, obtained by our correspondent, reads in part: “The
above manager cheque number 03816905 with a value of N2,275,454,500
was deposited into the accounts of 50 Senators as
beneficiaries.

“Manager Cheque No. 0386915 of the sum of N133, 400,000 and MC
No. 03816909 of the sum of N103, 800,000 have four beneficiaries as
follows: N133, 400,000; N51,900,000; N86, 250,000 and
N51,900,000.

“However, it is important to note that the beneficiaries of
Manager Cheque(MC) No. 03816918 of N364, 072,720 to GTB and MC No.
3816912 of N45, 509, 090 to WEMA Bank are yet to be ascertained.
All efforts are being made to uncover the beneficiaries.”

A highly placed source said: “From what detectives have done, we
are investigating alleged conspiracy, abuse of office and
misappropriation of public funds of N2, 922, 236, 310 when Sen.
David Mark was the President of the Senate.”

The source said EFCC commenced its investigation into the matter
in 2015 following petitions by National Assembly workers and one
Ifeanyichukwu Obazi-Nweze of Abogu Financial Company Limited who
claimed that the money was trapped cash of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP).

“The probe is not targeted at David Mark or the Senate or the
nation’s 109 Senators,” the source said.

“Yet, no anti-graft agency will gloss over N2.9billion shared by
54 Senators in one day.

“It is a case which preceded the eighth Senate but as we probe
on a daily basis, we dig up more facts on how funds were siphoned
from the coffers of the National Assembly into private
accounts.

“Contrary to the claim that the cash amounted to trapped funds
of PDP, our team succeeded in tracing the source of the money to
the account of the Senate and how it was deposited or transferred
to the accounts of the affected Senators.

“We are looking at the motives behind the illegal withdrawal of
the money and depositing of same to the accounts of the 54
Senators. We are also interested in the recovery of the public
funds.”

Detectives are expected to recover and analyze all vouchers and
other relevant documents from the National Assembly with a view to
ascertaining the purpose of raising the five manager cheques and
uncover any likely conspiracy and diversion of the funds.

“The investigating team has also been directed to invite the
officials of the Finance Department of the National Assembly and
signatories to the accounts to shed light on the purpose for which
the Manager Cheques were raised to determine their roles in the
transactions.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The EFCC has not
received the required cooperation from the staff of the National
Assembly, especially members of the management.

“But we will explore ways of collaborating with these management
staff to get to the roots of this fraud.”

On the link between the N2.9billion and the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), the source said: “We have not established that it was
a trapped cash of the opposition party. Rather, the cash in
question came from one of the accounts of the National
Assembly.

It was gathered that some of the affected Senators had launched
desperate moves to halt the investigation.

A reliable source said: “Some of the 54 Senators have drawn the
battle line with the acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu and
have vowed to unseat him. They know they collected illegal money
and may have to refund same.

“Already, they have raised a 15-man team to have audience with
President Muhammadu Buhari on why Magu must be removed for looking
into N2.9billion fraud. They are afraid of their shadows because
the ongoing investigation is leading to more stunning
discoveries.

“They believe they can only have their way if Magu is eased out
of EFCC.”