$115M Election Bribe: EFCC Interrogates Sheriff for 7 Hours

$115M Election Bribe: EFCC Interrogates Sheriff for 7 Hours

The factional leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, was questioned for at least 7 hours by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday in relation to the $155 million election bribe allegedly received from the former minister of petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Sheriff, who arrived at the EFCC at about 10am was questioned to about 5.30 pm

A top EFCC source told the Punch that Sheriff was interrogated at the Maiduguri office of the EFCC for his alleged role in the sharing of the $115m (N23bn) which came from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

During the build-up to the presidential election, N450m was said to have been sent to Borno State and it was received by a former Minister of Power, Mohammed Wakil.

The source added that after the interrogation, Sheriff, who is an ex-governor of Borno State, was released on administrative bail and asked to return on a future date for further questioning.

“Sheriff honoured the EFCC invitation and arrived around 10am. We released him on an administrative bail at 5.30pm. He has been asked to return at a later date.”

Sheriff is one among several PDP leaders in Borno who have been questioned  by the anti-graft agency in recent weeks.

Last week, Senator Saidu Kumo, who is the Special Adviser, Political Matters, to Sheriff, returned N2m from his share of the money.

Sheriff’s spokesman, Inuwa Bwala, refused to comment on the case when asked to react to the allegations levelled against his principal.

Sheriff is still being investigated for siphoning Borno State allocation between 2003 and 2011 when he was governor.

Sheriff was detained from June 3 to June 4, 2015, and released on administrative bail but was not charged to court.