MIYETTI ALLAH DEMANDS REFUND OF N3.8B CAMPAIGN FUNDS POCKETED BY AKWA IBOM APC GUBER CANDIDATE, EKERE

Nigerian Concord Newspaper

http://www.nigerianconcord.com.ng/?p=14773

More trouble is looming for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere, and his godfather, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as some top notchers of the umbrella body of herdsmen in the country, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria are insisting that the sum of N3.8 billion financial contribution made to the APC gubernatorial election was pocketed by the duo and are demanding a refund.

Sources close to the Cattle Breeders Association disclosed to Nigerian Concord that those among its top echelon who were not carried along in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into in January this year with Mr. Nsima Ekere are now demanding a refund of the N3.8 billion released to him by the association, claiming that the association was deceived into throwing its weight behind the APC candidate.

Recall that in his desperation for power, Mr. Nsima Ekere reportedly entered into a written agreement with the Miyetti Allah to release lands in the 31 local councils Akwa Ibom State for the establishment of Cattle Colonies if elected.

He was reported to have also agreed to the appointment of Fulani Heads, to be known as Sarkin Fulani for the Cattle Colonies, with the Sarkin Fulani having the same status as Traditional Rulers.

On its part, the Miyetti Allah was said to have promised a sum of N3.8 billion as financial contribution to Ekere’s election.

The MoU dated January 15, 2019, which was leaked to the public in March, was signed by the Miyetti Allah National President, Alhaji Muhammadu Kirowa and Secretary, Baba Ngelzarma as well as Nsima Ekere.

However, some leaders of Miyetti Allah, who only got to know about the MoU after it was signed are said to be insisting that Senator Akpabio and Ekere did not give accurate report about the chance of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.

“Some of our leaders are not happy with the turn out of events, especially the outcome of the governorship election in Akwa Ibom and Benue States.

” They are however more particular about Akwa Ibom state because a huge sum of money and other logistics were provided to the APC candidate with the assurance that the party was well grounded enough to overwhelmingly win the election.

“Imagine losing N3.8 billion of our money to an election that ended in such a scandalous loss. The impression they gave to secure our support was totally different from what happened and we are not even sure that the fund we released was spent at all.

“They told us that Senator Akpabio had the State in his pocket and will deliver to the APC and that the State governor, Udom Emmanuel will not get 30 per cent of the votes.

“Outcome of the election shocked us and the reality of a bad investment appeared to have dawn on us.

“It was on this premise that some of our leaders are now insisting that even if the entire N3.8 billion provided cannot be refunded, we should get at least 50 per cent back,” the source quoted one of the top member of Miyetti Allah to have said.

It would be recalled that Akpabio, who is representing Akwa Ibom north-west in the Senate had revealed few days ago that some clergymen in Akwa Ibom State called him a herdsman after he defected to the APC.