Date: 2021-07-04

The Financial Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara, Mohammed Tajudeen, on Sunday said the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, funded the by-election campaign expenses of Rep. AbdulRaheem Ajuloopin in 2018.

Mr Tajudeen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that contrary to the claim of the lawmaker representing Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin and Oke-Ero Federal Constituency that he gave the minister N32.5million, Mr Mohammed solely sourced for the campaign funds to prosecute the by-election and other elections in the state.

He further revealed that the estimated amount for the by-election campaign was N26 million, adding that this was released to the Chairman of the party, Bashir Bolarinwa.

Mr Tajudeen also said that the sum was distributed by the state APC chairman following laid down instructions.

The financial secretary, who also described as erroneous the claim that N50 million was given to the minister by a governorship candidate, alleged that it was the federal lawmaker who took off with N74 million on the eve of the general elections.

He said: "I want to plead with Ajuloopin to go back to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and ask him what the N50 million was used for. "Till now, we have not seen that money in the party's account.

"As the financial secretary of APC, I know about all that happened in the party.

"On the N50 million allegedly given to Alhaji Lai Mohammed, I want to plead with Hon. Ajuloopin to ask the governor who the money was delivered to and what was it meant for?

"How can he say he gave somebody N50 million? That is a big lie from Hon. Ajuloopin.

"All the money expended on Hon. Ajuloopin was provided by Alhaji Lai Mohammed. "This is my challenge to Ajuloopin: let him account for the N74 million.

'What did he do with it? Why did he disappear on the eve of the election?"

According to Mr Tajudeen, all the money spent on the election of Mr Ajuloopin was transferred from the Kwara APC account.

"All the money I am talking about was given by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, all the state Assembly members collected N500,000 each from Mohammed and not the governor.

"They thanked him then, now they are saying another thing.

"I can say it everywhere, all the money was transferred from Kwara APC account to all the members of the House of Assembly," he said.

(NAN)