Keyamo petition saga: CCB set to investigate Atiku’s SPV allegation, tasks Keyamo on evidence

…As FCID grills leadership of N/Assembly staff over N500m fraud accusation

The Code of Conduct Bureau will begin investigations into a petition against the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, concerning a Special Purpose Vehicle which he allegedly used to divert funds between 1999 and 2007.

the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, filed a petition against Atiku at the Federal High Court, Abuja,

Keyamo joined CCB, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively, while Atiku is the first defendant.

In the suit, the plaintiff sought a declaration of the court that Atiku was legally obligated to make available to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants information in respect of a bank account belonging to a company – Marine Float.

To aid the investigations, Keyamo also sought a declaration that the former vice president was under legal obligation to make available information in respect to accounts of two other undisclosed companies which he disclosed to one of his close aides by name Michael Achimugu, as to how the said accounts were used as a “Special Purpose Vehicles” to secretly divert and misappropriate public funds between 1999 and 2007 when the 1st Defendant served as Vice President of Nigeria.

The CCB, on Tuesday, formally confirmed receipt of the petition and extended an invitation to Keyamo.

Festus Keyamo Chambers confirmed the invitation on Thursday in a press release signed by John Ainetor, Assistant Head of Chambers, in Lagos.

“The Bureau has invited our client Mr Festus Keyamo to come forward to adopt his petition and to help it to secure the presence of the whistleblower, Mr Michael Achimugu to assist in the investigation.

“Mr Keyamo assures that the crusade for accountability in respect of this issue was not a campaign gimmick, as he promises to follow it through to a logical conclusion, even after the victory of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu”.

Meanwhile, Top officials of the National Assembly branch of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria were interrogated by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department on Wednesday over allegations of financial misappropriation involving about N500m.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that three top officials of PASAN in the National Assembly were invited by the FCID on Wednesday and grilled for several hours.

The FCID letters of invitation to each of the officials were routed through the office of the Permanent Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development of the National Assembly.

The letters were separately addressed to the Chairman PASAN, National Assembly Chapter, Sunday Sabiyi; the Financial Secretary, Stacy Nwodo and the Treasurer, Samtiya Daniel, inviting them to appear at the Police Department on Wednesday, 29th March 2023.

Their invitation was on the strength of a petition jointly written against them by nine suspended officers of PASAN, who accused the executive of financial misappropriation.

The Assistant Public Relations Officer of PASAN in the National Assembly, Mr. Amos, Enobong, confirmed the development in a message titled, “Police Invitation To PASAN Executive, National Assembly Chapter,” and sent to PASAN members on Thursday.

The message, sighted by our correspondent read, “Respected members, fraternity greetings from the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria.

“The Union wishes to bring to your notice that it is in receipt of letters from the FCID, Abuja via the Permanent Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development, National Assembly and separately addressed to the Chairman PASAN, National Assembly Chapter, Comrade Sunday Sabiyi.”

It added, “Others are, the Financial Secretary PASAN, National Assembly Chapter, Comrade Stacy Nwodo, and, the Treasurer, PASAN National Assembly Chapter, Comrade Samtiya Daniel, inviting them to appear at the Police Department on Wednesday, 29th March 2023.

“This is a result of a petition filed by a group of nine suspended PASAN former EXCO (G9) members over what they termed, ‘Financial Misappropriation’ by Current EXCO of PASAN, to the Force CID, Abuja.

“Consequently and promptly, on Wednesday, 29th March 2023 in the morning, the above-named comrades appeared at the police station, Area 10, Abuja.”

The notice added that after interrogations and other processes were carried out, the union executives were granted administrative bail, on self-recognition, and to report back on Tuesday, 4th April 2023, for further questioning.