The donation of N200 million by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kaduna State has sparked a face-off between some stakeholders and the leadership of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU).
During a campaign tour in Kaduna in February, 2022, as a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike donated N200 million, out of which N120 million was given to Southern Kaduna through SOKAPU, while the northern part of the state got N80 million.
The sharing of the donation has caused an outrage with a group, under the aegis of Concerned Southern Kaduna Journalists (CSKJ), accusing SOKAPU of misappropriating N60 million out of the N120 million.
The group, led by five journalists from the region – Ango Bally, Abayo Gandu, Sunday Isuwa, Israel Bulus, and Bomba Dauda – alleged that SOKAPU spent only N24 million on the IDPs in the zone.
But in a swift reaction, SOKAPU spokesman Luka Binniyat dismissed the allegation, saying: “They are on witch-hunting adventure to fulfill the political interests of their sponsors.”
In a joint statement, the journalists said: “When the IDPs across Southern Kaduna received the news in February (2022) that they were to be given N120 million out of the total of N200 million, their joy knew no bounds. But the wild jubilation that accompanied Governor Wike’s N120 million charity was short-lived, after the Jonathan Asake-led SOKAPU, against the wish of the IDPs, bought and shared them relief materials instead of what they opted for: building materials, farming inputs, and start-up grants for petty businesses.
“Having toured the seven local government areas that were severely affected by recurring attacks, interfaced and had interviews with some of the coordinators of some of the IDPs, it became evident that the items distributed by SOKAPU were not commensurate with the N60 million expended by the previous management of SOKAPU.
“When the coordinators of the IDPs were asked about the N120 million donation by Wike, they didn’t hide their grievances while also condemning what they termed ‘misappropriation’ of the said funds.
“As part of our findings and in the principle of balancing report, we interviewed Dio Maisamari, the Acting SOKAPU President. He said about half of the N120 million was expended by the outgoing president, Jonathan Asake. That is, about N60 million was purportedly expended on the purchase of rice, beans, gari, maize, macaroni, spaghetti, sugar, salt, Indomie noodles, maggi, soap, Vaseline, vegetable oil, Pampers, sanitary wares, and transportation.
“However, the puzzle lies in the number of IDPs, the total number of displaced persons in the camps, and the number of items distributed to these IDPs.
“Following the refusal of SOKAPU to form the Local Government Sharing Committees, as recommended by PDP chairman and the total lack of transparency in handling the Wike N120 million funds, two letters of complaint were written by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kajuru, and Chikun branches, respectively. They were addressed and issued to the Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hassan Felix Hyat.
“The Kajuru Local Government CAN branch expressed their concern and we quote: ‘It was announced that the total sum of N200 million was donated to our IDPs. Out of the said amount, JNI was given the sum of 80 million while N120 million was given to SOKAPU, and nothing was given to CAN. A letter from PDP Kaduna State chapter was addressed to CAN Kaduna State, giving their local government chapters the mandate to monitor and supervise the distribution of the money which, in reality, was never given to CAN.’
“A separate letter by the CAN Chikun branch, which was equally addressed to the Chairman, PDP, Kaduna State, stated: ‘The Executive Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, during his visit to Kaduna State, donated the sum of N200 million as an intervention fund to help reduce the suffering of IDPs and distressed communities in Kaduna State and later shared to stakeholders in the state for onward distribution to the affected people and communities for which you sent a letter to Kaduna State chapter of CAN confirming that N15 million has been given to Chikun Local Government Area also mandating the Local Government CAN to monitor the onward distribution to displaced persons in Chikun Local Government Area and the member representing Chikun/Kajuru Constituency confirmed that the said money is with SOKAPU.’
“The worrying state of the displaced and traumatised people among us is the motivation behind this investigative work. As the conscience of society, every journalist has a duty to rise above board to unravel the truth about anything that is of great concern to society, especially as it affects the well-being of the internally displaced among us.
“We have a duty to hold leaders to account for their actions and inactions while holding public trust. While our team made efforts to get Asake’s own side of the story, he instead directed our team to speak with the acting President, Dio Maisamari, noting that he is no longer the president of SOKAPU…”
But through its spokesman Luka Binniyat, SOKAPU said: “It is a very big dishonour and grave danger to the noble profession of journalism when politicians induce reporters and they proceed on witch-hunting to fulfill the political interests of their sponsors.
“However, one thing that stands out in the sponsored report, unfortunately for the ‘Concern Journalists’ is that procurements and distribution to the tune of N60 million were made by SOKAPU under the tenure of Jonathan Asake, now the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for Kaduna State.
“The report also affirmed that Asake left N60 million in the coffers of SOKAPU and handed over to Mr. Dio Maisamari, who was confirmed as the new President of SOKAPU.
“What all the winding report is trying to establish is whether the amount spent on the so-called procurement was actually up to N60 million and who and who got what?”
