The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday summoned Mr. Alabi Akolade David, a factional president of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) over alleged misappropriation of N5. 2 billion belonging to the association.
Mr. David, who leads a faction of ALGON, has been locked in a battle of supremacy with the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of ALGON led by the Chairman of Suleja LGA of Niger state, Hon Abdullahi Maje.
Blueprint learnt that both Mr. David and the IMC leadership under Hon. Maje were invited by the Department of Security Services (DSS) on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 to explain why Mr. David has continued to parade himself as National President of ALGON when he is not the chairman of any local government area in Nigeria.
It was also learnt that the DSS has been on hot trail of Mr. David following a petition sent to the Presidency by ALGON’s lawyer, Barrister Adeola Adedipe, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and stop the alleged rot going on in ALGON.
A strongly worded petition, dated May 5, 2021 and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and signed by ALGON’s lawyer, Barrister Adeola Adedipe, had called on the President to note that Mr. David “who parades himself as President of ALGON is not qualified for the office by virtue of Section 5 of ALGON’s Constitution because Mr. Alabi Akolade David is not a chairman of any local government area in Nigeria.
According to the petition, “It has become imperative to file this petition, bearing in mind that the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), is a very sensitive body, which superintends over the affairs of the 774 constitutionally recognised local government areas in Nigeria. As such, whoever holds the rudder to ALGON’s ship, should be of concern to all and sundry, especially, at the executive level.”
On how the leadership under David mismanaged the N5. 2 billion belonging to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, it was alleged that an account was opened with First Bank of Nigeria, through account number: 2034749191 where the funds were funneled.
Documents available to our correspondent also revealed that a letter, purportedly written from the office of the National President of ALGON and signed by Mrs. Binta A. Bello, had requested the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, to transfer the funds to the new account.
In the letter dated April 22, 2020, ALGON said: “To stop the spread of this pandemic across the country and the need to join hands with the Federal Government in tackling the scourge, the beneficiaries of the judgment sum have agreed to contribute 10% of the judgment sum to the account of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for the fight of coronavirus nationwide.
“In the light of the above, I wish to convey their consent and authorise the payment of 10% of the said sum to the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the simultaneous release of the balance to ALGON.”
A team of lawyers that were involved in the court case in recovering the sum of N5.2 billion were paid the sum of N250 million as consultancy fees. In a letter written by Greenfield Legal Practitioners, dated October 06, 2020 and addressed to ALGON’s National President and routed through the Association’s Director of Legal Services, Mrs Evan Enekwe, ALGON was reminded to kindly attend the meeting “with evidence of the payment of the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N250, 000,000) only being the bill of charges for our professional fees overtime to reconcile same with our records.”
Enquiries through phone calls to EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren were not immediately responded to as at the time of filing this report. A senior staff of the anti-graft agency however confirmed that Mr Akolade David was being grilled in respect to his leadership and mismanagement of funds in ALGON.
