A Jos-based pastor, Kallamu Ali Dikwa, who alleged that former
President Goodluck Jonathan gave the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) N7bn, on Saturday said the association’s leadership offered him
N1m to “keep quiet”, The Nation reports.
Dikwa made the fresh allegation while speaking with reporters in Kaduna.
He said, ”If, as religious body, CAN cannot stand for truth, then
Nigeria will continue to grope in the dark. Buhari will never succeed in
his fight against corruption if religious leaders can’t shun
corruption.”
When asked for proof of the money he received from CAN, he said, “I
don’t have the documents on how the money was handed to CAN, but I have
my confidants who were there then and documents on how it was shared.”
Speaking further he added, “I maintain my position on the N7b
campaign money that was given to CAN and about nine Toyota Jeeps which
were shared and distributed among themselves.
“On the 17th of March 2015, at the Department of State Security I was
forced to write an undertaking that I will refrain from peddling such
information.
“This was prior to a letter written by CAN on 20th February, 2015 to
DSS on ‘Complaint against Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa for false information,
defamation of character and mischief likely to cause a breach of public
peace’ which led to my arrest and torture for about nine hours by DSS.
“It was after my detention that I wrote to ICPC and EFCC complaining
about what I was going through and the need for their necessary action.
EFCC responded to me through a text message by one Mr. Ola Oji, Abuja
office in December last year: ‘Please be informed that we have vetted
your petition to the commission and found it to be civil. Consequently,
we decline investigation into same. You may wish to file an action in
Court against the subject please.’
“I went to court to challenge my arrest and torture. While the court
case was going on, CAN leadership offered me some monetary enticement of
N1m in order to withdraw the petition and the matter in court through
my bank details. I did that to trap them and to prove the authentication
of what is going on.
“It is on record that on 21st of September 2016, CAN through its
lawyer texted me a piece through my mobile line to copy and write to
ICPC as my opinion.”
President of CAN, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, who was Vice President to the
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, under whose leadership the money was alleged to
have been given, said Dikwa’s claim was a fabrication.
He said, “I don’t know any Dikwa. I have never met any Dikwa in my
life. I came on board three months ago and I have never given out any
money to any individual. That must be a fabrication.
“He’s not in CAN. This is not the first time he will be making such
allegation. He’s looking for people he would get money from. People like
me will never do anything like that.
“I have never seen his face though I do read some of his allegations.
He’s not somebody of integrity. I’m aware he’s a convert. He’s been
sending me text messages but I can never associate with such people.”