Emerging details have revealed how Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State had allegedly awarded aA N3.6 billion contract to Adda Nigeria Limited, in which he is a director, to supply official vehicles to Bauchi government officials included vehicles already purchased and paid for by the government.
Premium Times NG in its exclusive report pointed out that the governor’s action was in clear violation of federal code of conduct laws and the state’s procurement law.
According to the newspaper, Governor Mohammed had, in September, approved the contract for the supply of 105 vehicles for top government officials, legislators and judges. It was gathered that the contract was actually awarded earlier than September.
Further evidence gathered shows that prior to the award of the procurement, the state government had bought at least four sets of the same vehicles.
Records of the state government’s contracts for 2019 obtained by this newspaper show at least four instances of the purchase of exotic vehicles between May and September 2019.
Related: Uncovered! Bauchi Gov. Bala Mohammed in ‘shady contract scandal’, awards N3.6bn deal to own company
In the runoff to the handover, the outgoing government on May 9, 2019 issued contract for the supply of vehicles at the sum of N75,757,000 to Westwood Motors Limited. The purpose of the vehicles were not stated.
In a May 20 contract to the same company, the outgoing administration ordered for new vehicles for use of the incoming governor and his deputy. The vehicles cost N419,055,000.
On July 10, at the heat of crisis in the state’s House of Assembly, Mr Mohammed’s government awarded two contracts for the supply of vehicles for use of members of the state House of Assembly.
One of the contracts was awarded to Web-Mag Services Ltd at N238,300,000.
The other one, awarded Bagah International Limited at the cost of N75,870,000, was for the supply of Toyota Land Cruiser V8 and one 2018 Toyota Hilux van.
Adda Nigeria Limited was also awarded a separate contract in September of that year to supply two Toyota Camry V6 at the cost of N72,555,000.
Curiously, the N3.6 billion vehicle supply contract for Adda Nigeria Limited is omitted from the awarded contracts for the year.
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A spokesperson of the governor, Mukhtar Gidado said he was unaware of the earlier purchase.
“You know I didn’t join the government from May (2019) so I wouldn’t know,” he told Premium Times NG through telephone on Wednesday.
But a staff working at the Bauchi Government House who is not authorised to speak confirmed the delivery of the new vehicles for the governor, his deputy and a few officials immediately Mr Mohammed came to office.
Source: Premium Times NG
