Taraba gov’s donation not meant for ICPC – Group

National Centre for Anti-Corruption Advocacy (NCACA) and Taraba Transformation Network (TTN) have described as “malicious” the claim that the Acting Taraba state governor, Garba Umar, the N10 million donated to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences related Commission (ICPC).

According to them, the donation was actually for the Foundation that organised the  transparency, Accountability and Good Governance Integrity Hero’s award.

They said the Speaker of the House of Assembly, who represented the acting governor, “erroneously mentioned that the donation was meant for ICPC instead of the integrity body, but instantly corrected the slip of tongue.”
“Surprisingly, the mistake has been cashed in by some faceless politicians in the state who are out to causing disaffection,” they said.

A joint statement isued by Dr. Usman Abershi and Com. Danlamin Sarkin-Ibi in Abuja yesterday said: “The politicians behind the smear campaign against Governor Umar had earlier approached us to carry out the hatchet job which we declined.
“We are shock that that in their desperation they (politicians) resulted to using imaginary bodies to perpetrate this heinous act. It is laughable that any right thinking person will insinuate that ICPC can be bribed with N10 million.”

The groups added that the award was in recognition of the transparency the acting governor of Taraba state had brought to governance, and that similar award was given to Governors Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state and Jonah Jang of Plateau state in previous editions.
Two groups, Taraba Transparency Watch and Taraba Democratic Coalition, had accused the governor of attempting to bribe them with N10 million.