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.

Gafaru Olayiwola Olorisade     Seed Technologies     Abdullahi Biffo     Lanre Olosunde     Kehinde Boyede     Taofeeq Olateju     Islamic Development Bank     Issa Baba     Ahmad Ali     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     National Pilot     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Popo-Igbonna     Bibire Ajape     Isiaka Gold     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Metro Park     Matthew Babaoye     Eleja Taiwo Banu     Tafida     Memunat Monsuma     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone     Busari Alabi Alausa     Kisra     Kwara University Of Education     Emmanuel Bello     Tunji Oyawoye     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Mustapha Olanipekun     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Muslim Stakeholders Of Kwara State     Binta Abubakar-Mora     Bahago     General Hospital, Offa     Ajasse-Ipo     Bola Shagaya     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Kazeem Gbolagade     LEAH Charity Foundation     Senior Special Assistant On Student Affairs     FERMA     Michael Nzekwe     Col. Adedipe     Radio SBS     Arinola Lawal     Olam Food Ingredients     Toyin Olayinka Tejidini     Salihu Jibril Garbi     Ganiyu Abolarin     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Ile Arugbo     Hussein Oloyede     Simeon Sayomi     Nigeria Computer Society     Shonga Farm Project     Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf     Abdulrahman Iliasu     Facemasks     IESA     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Mumeen Lah     Lateef Alagbonsi     Segun Olawoyin     Yoonus Lawal     Hassan A. Saliu     Makama     Abdulmajeed Wahab     Tunde Idiagbon Road     Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla     Samuel Olusegun Adedayo     Temi Kolawole     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Babajide Ajayi     Umar Adelodun     Allocation     Tayo Awodiji    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Folashade Omoniyi     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     CACOVID     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Kola Ologbondiyan     Ado Ibrahim     Tunji Moronfoye     V.O. Abioye     Emir Of Ilorin     Hamid Bobboyi     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Egbejila     Arandun     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Ajasse-Ipo     Lithium Deposit     Maimunat Oniyangi     Jide Ashonibare     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Tinubu Legacy Forum     Danhawa     Prince Bola Ajibola     Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum     Segun Ogunsola     Kayode Zubair     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     Florence Saraki     Sabo-Oke     Idris Amosa Saidu     Abdulganiyu Oladosu     Musa Yeketi     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Ramat Oganija     Durbar     Ibrahim Jawondo     Funke Adedoyin     Yakub Ali-Agan     Suleiman Idris     Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Sarkin Malamai     Millennium Development Goals     Sarafadeen Kayode Akorede     Javed Khan     Ilorin General Hospital     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Tafidan Kaiama     MAI Akande     Yusuf Abubakar     Nagode     Salman Jawondo     GGDSS Pakata     Sola Saraki University     Yoonus Lawal     Rafiu Olasile     Bola Olukoju     Muhammad Toyin Sanusi     Saduki Lafiagi     Ilota     Balogun Fulani     Adesoye     Omotoso     Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu     Mohammed Abduraheem     Senior Ibrahim Suleiman     Solomon Edoja     Veterinary Teaching Hospital     Folaranmi Aro     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Plat Technologies Limited     KWASEIC     Shehu Alimi Foundation     Abraham Ojo     Tunji Arosanyin     Tafida Of Ilorin     Eghe Igbinehin     Baruten