Groups withdraw corruption petitions against Alkali, apologizes

By Gabriel Ewepu

TWO groups called the Trustfield Empowerment Initiative, TTAI, and Centre For Public Accountability (CPA), respectively, Friday, withdrew corruption petitions against immediate past Managing Director, MD, North East Development Commission, NEDC, Mohammed Alkali, following discovery of the truth and apologized over their unfounded allegations.

This was contained in their separate letters dated June 8, 2023 and presented to journalists during a press conference in abuja.

The letter by Trustfield Empowerment Initiative, TTAI and signed by one Charles Oriasoti for the Trustees reads, ‘Withdrawal of The Letter, Re-Notice of Our Intention to Commence Legal Action Against Mohammed Alkali’ addressed to Mohammed Alkali.

It will be recalled the group in a letter dated 2nd of May, 2023 requested for publication corruption allegation and misappropriation of N246 billion against former NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali.

The letter reads: “After an extensive investigation and having been satisfied with the available information within our disposal, we hereby withdraw our letter by ANIWTIE ITUEN LAW PRACTICE of PLOT 430 AHMADU BELLO WAY, MABUSHI, ABUJA titled RE: NOTICE OF INTENTION TO COMMENCE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST MOHAMMED ALKALI and dated 13th March, 2023.

“We were desirous of instituting an action with a view to unravelling the allegations of mismanagement of about N146.19 Billion of public funds and issues of corruption, financial misappropriation and impropriety as well as abuse of office but after our investigation, we are satisfied that Me Alkali is innocent of all allegations hence the withdrawal.

“Please accept our assurances.”

Similarly, the group called Centre For Public Accountability (CPA) wrote a letter dated June 8, 2023, to a media organization, Aljazirah Nigeria Newspaper, Abuja, notifying it of their earlier publication on corruption petition against immediate past Managing Director, North East Development Commission, NEDC, Ibrahim Alkali, which were all false and the letter which was signed by Secretary, Centre For Public Accountability (CPA), Emanuel Senuga.

The letter with subject ‘Withdrawal of Request for Petition Publication and Unreserved Apology To Ibrahim Alkali, the Immediate Past Managing Director of NEDC’ reads, “Refer to our letter dated 2nd of May, 2023 where-in we request for publication of alleged corruption allegation and mis appropriation of N246BN against former NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed ALKALI.

“We write after due diligence and further investigation on the sad allegation to withdraw the petition and hence the publication should be discontinued. This is coming on the heels of reports we further got from anti-corruption agencies and after findings carried out by our organisation wherein he was given clean slate of bill and that the allegation of mis appropriation was not correct and he has been cleared long before now.

“We hereby use this medium to tender our unreserved apology for wrongfully alleging the former NEDC boss and pledge to ensure that such won’t happen again and henceforth will be involved in propagating his good deeds and inputs while he was at helms of affairs in NEDC with the master plan transformation we later learnt happened under his tenure.

“Thank you.”

Meanwhile, the impact of Alkali as former MD of NEDC is undoubtedly seen visibly, because his development strides across the North East region still resonate and had left indelible footprints in the lives of the people.

Alkali’s interventions and achievements cut across human, agricultural, infrastructural development.

Some of the projects are the provision of 1000 housing units in Borno State, food provision and distribution to the people of Borno State; 10,000 housing programme -four blocks of well-furnished 2-bedroom detachable flats with verandas and a courtyard in a cluster arrangement in order to resettle families who have been displaced due to terrorism.

Under the Alkali-led NEDC, 500 were houses were built in Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, and Bauchi States apart from the 1000 houses built in Borno State.

He awarded contracts to install solar-powered street lights and boreholes, constructed a police station and a motor park including school buildings.

In order to boost food security among the people, the Alkali-led Commission deemed it fit to empower farmers by providing them with agricultural machinery and equipment, seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals and extension services logistics vehicles annually under the Integrated Agriculture Programme (IAP).

Also as a passionate and patriotic Nigeria, he was able to lead an empowerment programme in each of the 1,028 wards of the Northeast region, which NEDC empowered women and youth in order to divert attention from enlisting with into Boko Haram.

His outstanding performance to add value to millions of lives in the North East region made the leaders and people to call for a second term to serve and continue his great work. And that Alkali’s tenure is in the best interest of the country.

The post Groups withdraw corruption petitions against Alkali, apologizes appeared first on Vanguard News.