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.

Jide Ashonibare     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Ilorin     Muhammad Ghali Alaaya     Aliyu U. Tilde     Oniye     Kwara-SAPZ Project     Senior Special Assistant On Student Affairs     Baba Isale     Saeedat Aliyu     Muslim Stakeholders Of Kwara State     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Lanre Badmas     KSIRS     Lucky Omoluwa     Rachael Obisesan     Aliyu Salihu     Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Oke-Ogun     Kehinde Baale     Amuda Aluko     Overland     Kwara State Internal Revenue Service     Rasaq Jimoh     Saka Onimago     Siddiq Adebayo Idowu Salawu     Kwara 2015     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Oloruntoyosi Thomas     IPSAS     Funke Adedoyin     Fawenu     Olugbense     Kwara Pdp     20 Billion Bond     Vasolar Consortium     Oluronke Adeyemi     Kazeem Adekanye     Baba-Isale     Omotoso     Olaitan Adefila     Ijagbo Health Centre     NIRSAL     Lola Olabayo     Emir Of Yashikira     Kwara State Pension Board     Amuda Musbau     Babatunde Idiagbon     Abdulfatah Ahmed     NSCIA     Ibrahim Oniye     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Ilorin Amusement Park     Goodluck Jonathan     MINILS     Olufolake Abdulrazaq     Amule     S.O. Opowoye     Binta Abubakar Mora     Elese Of Igbaja     Medinat Folorunsho Salman     Sunset Workers     Okedare     Matthew Okedare     Ahmed Bolaji Nagode     Owode Market     Damilola Yusuf     Jimoh Akani     Share     Bello Oyedepo     Tsaragi-Share     NTA Ilorin     Apata Ajele Secondary School     Sobi Hill     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi     Esinrogunjo    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Patience Jonathan     Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla     Stephen Fasakin     Forgo Battery Company Limited     Isiaka Saka Opobiyi     Akanbi-Oke     Ilorin Innovation Hub     Funmi Salau     Umar Danladi Shero     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Elese Of Igbaja     Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria     SWAN     Local Government     SUBEB     Bature Bello     Bolakale Ayo     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Alapansapa     Fatimah Abdulkadir     Olatunji Ibrahim     Daud Adeshola     Kwara Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     AGM Professional Services     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Durosinlohun Atiku     Ijakadi     Funke Adedoyin     Anilelerin     Gabriel Fashanu     Olabode Towoju     Alimi Abdulrazaq     TESCOM 2025     Aliyu Muyideen     Bibire Ajape     Oye Tinuoye     Suleiman Mora Omar     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Assayomo     Isiaka Rafiu Mope     Press Release     Isiaq Khadeejah     Mohammed Halidu     Sango-UITH Road     Ezekiel Yissa Benjamin     Adamu Jemilat-Baki     Omotoso     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     Kwara University Of Education     Kwara Apc     Shola Odetundun     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Gbemi Saraki     AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi     2017 Budget     Medview Airlines     Ahman Patigi     Michael Nzekwe     Abdulwahab Oba     Fatimat Saliu     Lanre Badmas     Atiku     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Moses Rahman Popoola     Sabo-Oke     08001000100     Kolawole Bashirat     Moses Afolayan     KwaraLearn     Aliyu Alhassan     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Aisha Ahman Pategi     Yeketi     Olubukola Kifayat Adedeji     Bolakale Kawu Agaka     VADA     Isiaka Gold