Sources at the EFCC revealed that huge sums of money including US dollars are said to have been moved into the FCT, Abuja, for the purpose of the APC presidential primary which officially kicks off later today.
Anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission (ICPC) have begun probes into allegations of money laundering and financial inducements of the delegates for the ongoing All Progressives Congress presidential primary in Abuja.
Sources at the EFCC revealed that huge sums of money including US dollars are said to have been moved into the FCT, Abuja, for the purpose of the APC presidential primary which officially kicks off later today.
Preliminary investigation reportedly revealed that the monies were stuffed in crisp foreign currency notes allegedly on the orders of one of the presidential aspirants.
SaharaReporters was told that the anti-graft agencies had been given orders to uncover financial inducements of delegates which also played out during the May 28 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention where each delegate at the convention reportedly took ribes to sway their votes in favour of particular aspirants.
“We are working on what is suspected to be a huge money-laundering case linked to a presidential aspirant. The money was transported to Abuja using a private jet and we also have information that N5million will be transferred to each delegate using a General Ledger account in one of the leading Nigerian banks,” one of the sources said.
The spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwajaren, did not pick his calls to comment on the report as of press time.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the election of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would start today by 6pm at the party’s national convention in Abuja.
According to the schedule, eligible delegates from the 36 states and the FCT, Abuja, are expected to arrive at the venue between 10am and 1pm.
The venue of the APC national convention is at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
The timetable of the convention released by the party, shows that the welcome address will be delivered by Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s national chairman by 3:40pm.
Meanwhile, the presidential hopefuls will be allowed to deliver their remarks between 4:45pm and 5:45pm.
After that, President Muhammadu Buhari will deliver his speech at 5:45pm.
The delegates will start voting from 6pm to 9pm, while the result will be announced at 10pm.
The governors elected on the platform of the APC and the party’s National Working Committee had recommended five aspirants for today’s presidential primary of the party while advising the remaining contenders to step down.
Those who got the nod of the governors and party leaders to remain in the race are former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu; a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, who disclosed the development on Tuesday morning, had said the list of shortlisted “frontline candidates” has been presented to Buhari, who he said okayed the recommendation.
“The president told us any of these five are qualified to be president and have contributed to the party (APC). He said he is comfortable with any of them,” said Lalong.
“Our recommendation is to enable us to give direction for the party as we go into the primary. We cannot go with everybody, but in our view, these are the people we think should remain.”