Group to EFCC, Akume: Don’t Cover Up Gbajabiamila, Others over TSA Corruption

An Abuja-based non-governmental organization, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Minister of Special Duties & Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, not to shield from investigation the Director-General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila and some top members of staff over allegations of massive corruption, abuse of office and fraudulent diversion of public funds.
The group, in a statement signed by its Director in-charge of Welfare and Logistics, Mr. Akumabi Ojogbane, said it was regrettable that in spite of the several petitions and weighty allegations of corruption against Gbajabiamila, “he was still being kept in office and protected by some powerful Nigerians because of his deep pocket and connections”.
It recalled that through a petition dated 6th of July, 2020, which was addressed to the Minister of Special Duties & Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, EFCC and other relevant bodies, it highlighted some of the allegations against Gbajabiamila but up till now, nothing much has been done.
The group alleged that its scrutiny of the books of NLRC in 2020 revealed how over N100 million was withdrawn from the account of the commission using about 20 members of staff who are very close to the Director-General.
“In 2017, over N500 million was spent from the Commission’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) without appropriation. In 2018, over N960 million was spent from the Commission’s Internally-Generated Revenue without appropriation. In 2019, over N1billion was spent from the Commission’s Internally-Generated Revenue without appropriation (as against N75 million appropriated as administrative expenses). In 2020, over N1billion was spent from the Commission’s Internally-Generated Revenue without appropriation.”
The group wondered why an appointee of the President would “flout with impunity and reckless abandonment the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy of the Federal Government and dip his hands into the commission’s IGR without consequences.”
Part of the statement reads: “A cursory look at the Audit Report for 2018 reveals chains of unapproved expenditures and spending sprees calculated to milk the NLRC dry. As a gross abuse of office, you (Gbajabiamila) authorized that your Personal Assistant (Bomodeoku Oyebode Olatunde) and Special Adviser (Akeju Olafadeke Iyabode) be paid the monthly emoluments of N65,041.75 (Sixty-Five Thousand, Forty-One Naira, Seventy-Five Kobo) as well as N450,000 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), respectively from the IGR having listed them in the Main Payroll of the Commission. This is notwithstanding the fact that the employment of those staffers are predicated upon your own appointment as Director-General and their fringe benefits have been monetized according to the Federal Circular with Reference Number SGF.19/S.47/C. I/III/143 dated 13th July, 2007.
“Furthermore, the Commission has in 2017 lost revenue amounting to N39,000,000 (Thirty-Nine Million Naira) through arranged waiver in favour of Mobicards International Limited. The records showed that the Company in a letter addressed to you, dated 10th October, 2017, paid N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) out of its total indebtedness to National Lottery Trust Fund being N89,000,000 (Eighty-Nine Million Naira). In what looks like a pre-arranged situation, you did not hesitate to grant a waiver of N39,000,000 (Thirty-Nine Million Naira) for the company the same day that the letter got to your desk. This was done without the input of the Board and Management. You have no authority whatsoever under the law to grant waivers without recourse to the Board, Secretary to the Government of the Federation or the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, which oversees the Commission.”
The group faulted the claim of increased revenue performance at the NLRC, saying that the lottery and sports betting industry was doing far below its huge potentials when compared with smaller African nations “largely because of mindless insider abuse and collusion which put personal interest above national interest. Since Gbajabiamila became the DG of the commission, he has not done more than 50% of his projected revenue. In 2017, the budgeted revenue was N4 billion but only N1.4billion (representing 35% budget performance) was recorded as actual revenue. In 2018, N1.8 billion (representing 30%) was realised out of a budgeted revenue of N6 billion. In 2019, N2 billion (representing 50% budget performance) was realised out of a budgeted revenue of N4billion. The year 2020 is yet to be accounted for even when the 2021 financial year is about winding down.”
It added that “Nigerians are waiting to see whether the weighty allegations against Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, who is the younger brother of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and ally of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who has been making rounds in Government circles to suppress the matter and promote his brother for a second term in office will be swept under the carpet or not. We were all in this country when the likes of Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman and Mr. Adebayo Somefun were suspended indefinitely as the Chief Executive Officers of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) over corruption allegations. After all, is it not said that what is good for the goose is good for the gander?”

George Akume is an upright man. He will allow fairness to prevail. The G.SM of Benue. The Adaagbaga-U-Tiv.