Director alleges fraud in running of Nigerian Governors Forum, demands forensic audit

The Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, has submitted a letter to the NGF chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, alleging corruption and a lack of transparency in the organization’s management. The leaked communication has brought to light internal conflicts within the NGF Secretariat in Abuja, with high-ranking officials in dispute over purported financial misconduct and recklessness.

Barkindo unveiled concerns about the operational practices of the secretariat, contending that the NGF now prioritizes transactions over development. He asserted that the NGF has deviated from being an agent of change to becoming “a conduit pipe for a few individuals.” He called for a comprehensive forensic audit of all NGF accounts, including those established during crisis periods, to prevent scrutiny by governors under the guise of entities like NIGOFO.

The letter emphasized that the NGF accounts have not undergone auditing for at least a decade, highlighting the transformation of the Forum and its finances into the personal domain of a select few. Barkindo expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of qualified accountants in an organization involved in substantial financial transactions, such as the Paris-London refunds. He disclosed instances where significant amounts, such as the N630 million deducted from the N5 billion infrastructure support fund, were allegedly maneuvered to create conflicts among governors.

Barkindo suggested that the NGF undergo a forensic audit to scrutinize all its accounts, especially those established during crisis periods, to prevent interference by governors through entities like NIGOFO.