The governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, who has been nominated to fill the vacant post of Vice President, has been dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of financial impropriety.
A Kaduna-based lawyer, Sadau Garba, petitioned the anti-graft body asking that the governor be investigated for allegedly misappropriating N153.6bn with the support of the state legislature.
A copy of the petition which was obtained by our correspondent on Saturday alleged among other things that the N1.2bn spent by the state government in hosting the U-17 World Cup championship was yet to be accounted for.
Nigeria hosted the championship in 2009 and Kaduna State was one of the states where the tournament was held.
The governor whose name has been forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and confirmation as the Vice-President was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday night after he had a meeting with Peoples Democratic Party governors.
But Sambo who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Umar Sani, has dismissed the petition just as he queried the credibility of the petitioner.
He added that the petitioner needed to be examined to determine whether his claims had any substance.
But in the petition, Garba averred that the state obtained a $17.32m loan guaranteed by the Minister of Finance from the Islamic Development Bank, but that the loan was not captured in the 2009 budget as required by law.
He also accused security operatives of acting out the script of the state government by harassing him on account of the petition.
Meanwhile, tension has gripped the state capital following alleged opposition by some groups and persons to the nomination of Sambo.
Following this, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that riot policemen and Armoured Personnel Carriers have been deployed to patrol the flash points in the state.
Our correspondent gathered that unfavourable security reports about the situation led to the deployment of security men on Friday, shortly before the Muslim Jumat prayers.
The security beef up, it was learnt, was informed by the circulation of some text messages from unknown sources asking the Muslims not to accept the nomination of Sambo as well as the expected change in leadership that will follow in the state.
The state Police Commissioner, Alhaji Tambari Yabo Mohammed, had earlier on Saturday held a meeting with Divisional Police Officers in the state during which, he instructed them to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order in their areas.
Source: Sunday Punch
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