We Defected To PDP In Bauchi’s Interest –

The Maiduguri zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former auditor-general for local government in Yobe State, Yahaya Lawan Idris, over alleged fraud.

Idris was arraigned yesterday before Justice Mohammed Lawan of the Yobe State High Court in Damaturu.

According to a statement by the commission, Idris was arraigned on a one-count charge of alleged criminal misappropriation to the tune of N19.9 million. The accused was the auditor-general for local government in 2017.

He allegedly received the sum of N19,900,000 through his personal account number 1001480930 with account name; Alhaji Yahaya Idris, domiciled with a commercial bank from the Local Government Audit Account Number 5030030060 domiciled with another for the purchase of a brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 Model. The EFCC accused him of misappropriating the gross sum of N10,100,000 only being the money for the purchase of the said brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 for the office of the Local Government Auditor General, Yobe State, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Yobe State of Nigeria and punishable under section 309 of the same law. Idris, however, pleaded not guilty upon arraignment.

Barely 24 hours after some members of the Maijama'a Steering Committee declared their resolve not follow their principal, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant in Bauchi State, Mahmoud Maijama'a, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), other members of the committee have decided to remain with him in the ruling party.

In a statement issued yesterday by the director of media Mahmud Maijama'a Steering Committee Danlami Baban Takko, titled:

“Why we defected to PDP”, he said the decision to join the PDP was in the best interest of the state.

The statement reads in part, "Our attention has been drawn to a press conference held by some of our members of the Mahmud Maijama'a Steering Committee who have decided to remain in the APC but claimed to be speaking on behalf of all members of the Steering Committee.

"The truth of the matter is, at a meeting held in the first week of November at Mahmud Maijama'a's residence, Dallatun Bauchi made his intention known that he would defect from the

APC to PDP.

"At the meeting, the majority of the Steering Committee members agreed to defect along with him to the PDP while a few others decided to remain in the APC. The decision by Mahmud Maijama'a and the majority members of the Steering Committee to defect to PDP was taken in the overall interest of Bauchi State.”

He said Mahmud Maijama'a Steering Committee and others who have decided to defect with him to the PDP include his teeming supporters from across the local government areas of the state, former commissioners, members of the state assembly, local government chairmen, advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, retired permanent secretaries, directors, leaders of civil society organisations, youths, women groups and prominent politicians and the masses.

He asserted that the group remains loyal to Mahmud Maijama'a (Dallatun Bauchi) because he is a great patriot, a seasoned politician and an eminent citizen of Bauchi State. “We remain loyal to Bauchi State and under His Excellency, Governor Bala Mohammed (Kauran Bauchi) who is trying his utmost best to uplift Bauchi State to greater heights,” he said.