"The money is a total of N4.88 billion. I think the one they are particular about is the N1.8billion. First of all, they awarded it as a distribution contract and I said 'no, how can you award N1.8billion to one person and there was no Tenders Board'? I don’t know when the contract was awarded. As a DFA, I am a statutory member of the tender board. I don’t know when it was awarded. And awarding N1.8billion contract to one person is against the majority interest of the Niger Delta People. I told them if it is, I would not put my hand there; I would not pay."
An audio released by Ilem-Iyam, Director of Finance and Administration, Presidential Amnesty Programme, on Monday, has revealed plans by the Cordinator of the programme, Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo, to cash out N4.8 billion before President Muhammadu Buhari reshuffles his cabinet in May.
According to Ilem-Iyam, Dokubo, in conjunction with Musa Johnson Odiniya, Director Procurement; Ubi Umoren Franklyn, Director of Administration; Chief Brown Aroloyetiem, Head of Reintegration and Awotu Patricia Ojakoyo, Legal Adviser to the programme, are conspiring to inflict bodily harm on him for refusing to play ball in the grand scheme.
Documents seen by SaharaReporters show 35 front companies that Dokubo intends to use to cart away the huge sum.
In an audio obtained by SaharaReporters, Ilem confirmed the threat to a friend saying: “…The money is a total of N4.88 billion. I think the one they are particular about is the N1.8billion. First of all, they awarded it as a distribution contract and I said 'no, how can you award N1.8billion to one person and there was no Tenders Board'?
“I don’t know when the contract was awarded. As a DFA, I am a statutory member of the tender board. I don’t know when it was awarded. And awarding N1.8billion contract to one person is against the majority interest of the Niger Delta People. I told them if it is, I would not put my hand there; I would not pay.
"They came and carried the files from the office. SA [Dokubo] denied; [he said] he was not aware; they started writing a petition to the EFCC, ICPC, to everywhere.
“When it didn’t work, they came to meet me. Musa (Director of Procurement) had the guts to come to me and say he is my senior in the Service. How can a Deputy Director claim he is my senior in the service? I proved to him that he is not my senior. I am his senior. He said if he approved anything, I was not supposed to say no. I told him he didin't know what he was talking about. I told him to go and look at the financial regulations.
"The major function of the Director of Finance is that I am a Chief Financial Adviser to the Accounting Officer… They went and changed it. When the money eventually came, they went and repackaged it and gave it a different name. I have all the documents with me here. I refused to pay. I used the money to pay as many that are possible.
“Can you imagine? They are very heartless! You mean I should leave all those files people have been crying for months and then pay, not only the N1.8billion but a total of N4.88billion…Musa and Brown are their members.
“They said they would give me N150million; I said I don’t want that kind of money. We all like money but to leave all those files and pay N1.8billion plus other fake ones that are there and give you? For what? I went to go and meet him and he told them, 'I have told the DFA to pay, he is the one who has refused to pay'... pitching them against me.” [Leaked Audio Exposes Amnesty Boss Dokubo's Plans To 'Steal' N4.8bn]
Continuing, Ilem said: “This evening when I was coming back at the Maitama, Mississippi junction, I saw my driver look back. I said 'why are you looking back? Move, move.' Na God save us yesterday say we no get accident because we were not obeying traffic regulation. And they were pursuing me with force.
“When we got to Police headquarters, you know they have security there at the main entrance, I said to him, turn, turn…I ran and went there. Then they ran away. When I complained to him, he said they must be some of my friends that have I forgotten so soon, that they must be some of my friends; that he, the SA, that I said is powerless. What does that statement mean? That I said he is powerless…I said to him I have never said you are powerless. How can I say you are powerless? Me as a DFA I won’t pay that money. Let them come and carry the money on their own. That is my own…I know I am fighting a battle. I was sent to sanitize that office. Every month when money comes, pay this, pay this and after collecting all the money, he would turn back to be blaming me. Right from the first day I resumed, he said he did’t want me.
“He has gone to Accountant General 10 to 20times. Now the Accountant General does not listen to him again. Now he is writing a petition every day against me. Every day, every day.
“Last week, there was a rumour that DFA was going to be removed, DFA was going to be removed. I said I came on posting. If I am posted again, it’s ok. I was not bothered because the person who posted me was not complaining…Yes oooo, the office needs to be sanitized. I have started it. They cannot be wicked to our people like that.
“He (Dokubo) is worse than Boro [General Paul Boroh, former Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme). Very foolish man. When you people begin to pester me, as a Civil Servant, I am not supposed to be opening my mouth to tell what’s going on. You know sometimes I continue to explain and explain, and I begin to tell lies. But you people would not understand. Every day we get work order, 99.9, 99.9. I said reduce the value of these contracts.
“If you pay N2.2billion, pay N1billion and operation about N500million, we are left about more that N1billion. If you pay 10 people N99.9million, the money finishes; people would not understand.
"Stop awarding contracts, before they now come say, they have stopped awarding contracts. See my office, it is like where they pack files and kept every day. You will advise him; he would never hear. It is a terrible experience. I have not had that kind of experience. He is not fit to be in a position of leadership.”
Professor Dokubo Reacts
In a reaction on Monday, Dokubo has described as a “plot to tarnish his image”.
The reaction is contained in a statement by his special adviser on media, Murphy Gangana.
"The plot, which is already in its advanced stage, is orchestrated by individuals who have failed in their bids to force Dokubo to award contracts to them," he said.
“To put the records straight, we wish to state as follows: It is true that a contract for empowerment of 300 Niger Delta youths in oil and gas instrumentation was awarded to Messrs. Glassfa Continental Ltd, and another contract for training and empowerment of 400 delegates in coastal fishing was awarded to Innotek Royal Services Limited.
“However, the two contracts in question were beyond the threshold of the Special Adviser to the President and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme. Therefore, in line with statutory guidelines and regulations, a Due Process No Objection was sought and obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) vides a letter OSAPND/GCL/VT/2018/11010 dated 19th October, 2018. Consequently, approval for award of contracts to the two companies was granted by the BPP.
“We wish to state with emphasis that no dime has been paid to any of the two companies. It is pertinent to state that processes leading to payment of 15 per cent of contract sum are yet to be completed for the two companies which have not been handed delegates for training. Files of the two companies on the contracts have not reached the Prof. Dokubo’s table."