Ex-Governor Ahmed Failed to Award UBEC Contracts – Third Witness Testifies
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.
Mashood Dauda Bola Sagaya Kwara Volleyball Association FERMA Aminu Adisa Logun Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye Samari Abdulazeez Arowona Saka Abimbola Isau Olokoba Muhammad Yahya Rotimi Atere Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu Falokun-Oja Joseph Offorjama Awodun Split Diamond Interchange Femi Gbajabiamila Folorunsho Erubu Abdulrasheed Akogun Risikat Lawal Gbenga Adebayo Wole Oke Agor Market Saka Saadu Aliyu Muhammed Victor Gbenga Yusuf Adesoye IYA ALFA NLA Isaac Gbenle Bello Abubakar Tunde Mukaila Mustapha AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah Kwara State Fire Service Mohammed Saidu Alabe Oladipo Akanmu Tolani Bola Iyabo Ibiyeye Adisa Haliru Dantoro Niyi Osundare Moshood Mustapha Council Of The Wise Ahmed Yusuf Abdulraheem Emir Of Ilorin Mohammed Lawal Bagega Mohammed Abduraheem Nurudeen Mohammed Asa LGEA School Ibrahim Abikan Ndama Al-hassan Read With Me Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies Yusuf AbdulRasheed Lateef Fagbemi Nigeria Customs Service JMK Construction Company Limited Omupo Moshood Bakare Bayo Ojo Monthly Sanitation Exercise Hijaab Isiaka Gold Abdulrazaq Sanni Titus Ashaolu Oyun Adebayo Mohammed Kamaldeen Bayo Mohammed Onimode BIR Ajuloopin Moses Salami Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari Ayekale Kola Olota Solomon Edoja Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Mahmud Babatunde Baker

