By Jimaima Stephenson
Billionaire businessman and former member of the Nigerian House of Representatives (1999-2003), Dr. Ned Nwoko, has dealt a serious blow on the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF.
Nwoko, who represented Aniocha North-South and Oshimili North-South of Delta State, is the also the consultant that facilitated the London and Paris Club refunds.
At a news conference in Abuja, on Saturday, the businessman-cum-politician sensationally alleged that the Nigeria Governors Forum demanded and received $100 million to prosecute elections in some states.
Nwoko, head of Linas International Limited, the Consultancy firm that facilitated the Paris Club refunds, told journalists that when he submitted a bill of $350 million as his consultancy fee to the NGF, the state governors demanded that they be given 50 percent of the bill ($175million) before it could be honored.
Specifically, he claimed that a former chairman of the NGF had confided in him that the money was needed to prosecute elections in Bauchi, Ekiti, and Ondo States respectively.
He further alleged that the Ministry of Justice had to intervene before the governors could accept $100 million.
Nwoko revealed that the money being owed his firm, Linas International Limited, was $68 million and not $418 million as the leadership of the NGF had told Nigerians.
The Lead Consultant similarly distanced his firm from the $418 million figure being claimed by the NFG, saying it must have been a miscalculation, adding: “We have nothing to do with it.”
Nwoko also absolved the Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, of any wrongdoing, saying the minister was only trying to ensure that things were done according to the law.
The Linas International Limited boss further revealed that the agreements and judgments being executed were reached before the coming of the Muhammadu Buhari Administration.
Nwoko pointedly accused the current chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of lying about the payment to his consultancy firm.
The Nigeria Governors Forum has yet to comment on the weighty allegations by Ned Nwoko as at the time of filing this report.