Party Chairman's PA Impersonates Zamafara Governor…Awards N2.25b Contract

Huhuonline.com / understands that a Personal Assistant to the Zamfara State All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Chairman, Alhaji Lawwali Abubakar Kaura, has been caught after he impersonated the State Governor, Alhaji Abdul'aziz Yari Abubakar, forged his signature and awarded a contract worth N2.25billion to an Abuja-based businessman, Chief Christy Onyechukwu.   The Personal Assistant, whose name was given as Umar Faruk, is believed to have carried out this alleged criminal act in connivance with a Local Government candidate on the platform of the ANPP in the State, Alhaji Aliyu Maizinari.  

The fictitious contract, according to the police in the State, was for the importation of rice, sugar, fertiliser and Toyota Camry cars for the state government.   According to Zamfara State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sanusi Amiru, after signing the contract, Faruk forged the Governor's signature on a document mandating the State Commissioner of Finance to effect the payment of the said money to the contractor.  

Though the police did not tell how he was arrested, it said Maizinari, the Local Government aspirant, who is now on the run, also appended a forged signature of the Permanent Secretary of the Zamfara State Government House, conveying the false directive by the Governor to the Ministry of Finance.   Faruk, who did not deny the allegation, claimed that the signature was not the exact replica of the Governor's signature.

He also admitted that he collected a Jaguar car as gift from the contractor, but denied that he also received money.   He said prior to his arrest, he had, in conjunction with a Saudi Arabia-based Mohammed Nur, defrauded the Zamfara State Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria (PHCN) manager of N400, 000 with the claim that he could influence the authority to allocate him a seat among those going for the last Hajj.