Belgore explains sharing of N450m election funds from Diezani

By Peter Fowoyo, Lagos

A Federal High Court, Lagos has heard how the f N450 million received from the former Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Diezani Madueke, during 2015 general elections was shared to the police, army, Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state.

Dele Belgore (SAN) told the court that the decision on how the money was to be shared was taken by stakeholders in the PDP campaign organization at a meeting held in the house of another party chieftain named Sheriff Shagaya.

Belgore alongside Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, a former minister of national planning are standing trial before the court over a N450 million fraud. The duo are being prosecuted by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a nine-count charge bordering on the alleged offences.

They had however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.

Belgore, who was the Kwara state coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign organisation while being cross-examined by counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, denied singlehandedly taking the decision on how to share the N450 million, insisting that the decision was taken by all members of the campaign organisation.

However, he admitted on how the N450 million was shared upon being confronted with his statement which was tendered and admitted as exhibit. He also admitted that two persons were nominated from the three senatorial districts in the state to receive their portions of the money on behalf of the senatorial district.

In giving a breakdown of how the money was shared, Belgore admitted that N87.963 million and N61.656 million were received by Mrs. Shola Adeoti and Isah Biu for Kwara South and Kwara North senatorial districts respectively, while N102.298 million was allocated to Kwara Central Senatorial District.

On how it was shared to the security agencies, he stated that N10 million, N1 million, N2 million, N1 million and N1 million, were given to the state commissioner of police, zonal assistant inspector general, deputy commissioner in-charge of operations, assistant commissioner in-charge of operations and the assistant commissioner in-charge of administration respectively.

He also admitted that N7 million, N10 million and N2.5 million were given to MOPOL commandant, his second in command and the director of DSS respectively while N50 million and N20 million were given to the military and other security agencies, such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and men of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

According to him, N100 million was allocated for the party’s general expenses, such as interest on bank loans while N80 million was allocated to the office of the coordinator which he admitted were disbursements made on his instructions, just as N80 million allocated to his office and N50 million to Sherrif Shagaya, who was a candidate in the 2015 general elections.

Further hearing of the trial has been adjourned till July 2.