N23bn Diezani poll bribe: EFCC grills Sheriff for over 7 hours

Embattled National Chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, was on Wednesday grilled by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from 10am to about 5:30pm, over his alleged role in the sharing of the $115m (N23bn) which emanated from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

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

Out of it, about N40m was said to have been given to Sheriff through Alhaji Mohammed Kumaila, a PDP chieftain in the state.

An impeccable source at the anti-graft agency disclosed that Sheriff, who is a former governor of Borno State, was released on an administrative bail and asked to return at a later date.

"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," the source said.

Sheriff is one among several PDP leaders in the state who have been grilled by the anti-graft agency.

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

When asked to comment on the allegations leveled against his principal, Sheriff's spokesman, Inuwa Bwala, refused to comment.

In addition to this particular EFCC investigation, Sheriff is still being investigated for alleged embezzlement of public funds during his eight years as Borno State Governor.

His Government was said to have received and mismanaged over N300bn from the Federation Account between 2003 and 2011.

Sheriff was subsequently detained from June 3 to June 4, 2015 and released on administrative bail without being charged to court.

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