Ex-Governor Ahmed Failed to Award UBEC Contracts – Third Witness Testifies

Date: 2025-03-14

The Third Prosecution Witness (PW3), Engineer Abdulsalam Olarewaju Sirajudeen, testified in the trial of former Kwara State Governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over alleged fraud. Speaking before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Thursday, March 13, 2025, he revealed that Ahmed failed to award contracts for UBEC-funded projects in the state.

These projects were included and approved in the 2013, 2014, and 2015 State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Action Plans after receiving UBEC's approval for implementation, along with matching grants and counterpart funding.

Ahmed and Banu are currently facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 14-count charge related to the alleged theft and mismanagement of ?5.78 billion from UBEC funds allocated to the state.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, the witness—a project manager with Kwara State SUBEB in 2013 who later became Director of Physical Planning in 2017—told the court that each of the action plans was prepared by SUBEB in the state and sent to UBEC, Abuja, for review and approval, which was granted. Furthermore, he disclosed that Ahmed's failure to award the contracts occurred after advertisements had been placed for their award and qualified contractors invited for bidding.

'After approval, an advertisement is placed, inviting qualified contractors to bid. After four weeks, bidding takes place in the presence of all stakeholders, including UBEC representatives. Contractors who won the bids are then mobilised to project sites,' he said. However, he disclosed that in all three action plans, the projects advertised and bid for were never awarded to the successful contractors.

The witness was cross-examined by the defence counsel, led by Jimoh Mumini, and Gboyega Oyewole.

The case was adjourned till 10 and 11 April 2025 for further hearing.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman     Saka Asiat Ayinke     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Mubarak Oladosu     Ubandoma     Folashade Omoniyi     Paul Odama     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Amuda Bembe     Adamu Attah     Park     Idi-Ape     Amos Sayo     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa     Tosin Saraki     AIT Ilorin     New Nigeria People’s Party     Abdulwaheed Musa     Yusuf Olaolu Ali     BECE     Musibau Akanji     Kunle Suleiman     Niyi Osundare     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     John Olajide Adedipe     Ahmed Bayero     Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence     Owu Fall     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Shagari     Florence Saraki     Raliat Islamic Foundation     Dan Iya Of Ilorin     Ilorin West     Bello John Olanrewaju     Wahab Olasupo Egbewole     Olufolake Abdulrazaq     Lai Gobir     Chemiroy Nigeria Limited     Khadijat Ayoola Yusuf     Tosho Yaqub     Kwara State Fish Farmers Association     Unilorin     Otuka     Omoniyi     N-Power     GANZY     Adedipe     Ndakene     James Kolo     SWAN     Kwara 2015     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Sanusi Abubakar     Yomi Adeboye     Akanbi-Oke     Agbarere     Halimah Perogi     Sherif Sagaya     Afolayan     IHS     Abdulrasheed Lafia     Zainab Abass     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Apaokagi     Leke Ogungbe     AbdulGafar Tosho     Boko Haram     Shero     Ishola Abdullahi     MMWG     Ahmed Bolaji Nagode     Durbar     Okin Malt     Sheu Ndanusa Usman    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

KWSIEC     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     Aliyu Kora-Sabi     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     IHS Towers     Igosun     Rotimi Oyedepo     Bolaji Abdullahi     Makama Of Ilorin     Harmony Holdings     Forgo Battery     Aliyu Adebayo     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     KWASIEC     Mamatu Abdullahi     John Olobayo     Olatunji Ibrahim     Saliu Alamoyo     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum     Haruna Tambiri Mohammed     Sardauna     Baba-Isale     Babatunde Idiagbon     Ahmad Lawan     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     Saka Keji     Alabi Olayemi Abdulrazak     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Ilorin Metro Park     CCB     John Mayokun Dada     Kawu     Arca Santa     Abubakar Suleiman     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Halimat Yusuf     Aliyu Sabi     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Borgu     Mustapha Akanbi     Cornelius Adebayo     Razaq Atunwa     Jelili Yusuf     Patience Jonathan     National Party Of Nigeria     Post-utme     Hajj     Muyiwa Oladipo Kanu     Adekunle David Dunmade     Bisi Oyeleke     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     Taofeek Ibraheem     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Femi Agbaje     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     Usman Alkali Baba     Umar Sanda Yusuf     Mumeen Lah     Kwara Polytechnic     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Jani Ibrahim     Kwara State University Of Education     Olubukola Kifayat Adedeji     Bluenile Associates     Oro Grammar School     Hijab     Solomon Edojah     Abubakar Lah     Gamji Members Association     David Adesina     Federal Allocation     Plat Technologies Limited     Mohammed Yisa     RTEAN     Sobi Specialist Hospital     Alabere