Former Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters Rufia Alkali, is allegedly involved in a dodgy N35 million contract which may open the eyes of President Muhammadu Buhari who has lamented that he met an empty treasury.
Alkali, one time Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, allegedly got tangled in the sleaze after he became Jonathan’s aide early in 2014.
It is alleged that he renovated his office at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja and replaced much furniture without approval from the head of service or the permanent secretary in the office of the head of service.
A source in the office of the head of service alleged that Alkali later presented a request for a refund of N35 million as the cost of the renovation, which the permanent secretary turned down.
Alkali reportedly took the bill to the head of service himself but met a brick wall. He proceeded to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) but also failed to secure approval for the payment of the money he claimed to have spent.
According to the source, as the Jonathan administration was winding up, Alkali allegedly removed all the things he installed in the office, loaded them in a truck to take away, but the vehicle was stopped at the main gate of the wing housing his office.
The permanent secretary ordered the seizure of the items until all the old furniture removed from Alkali’s office were re-installed.
The old items were returned and workers were asked to report for duty on Saturday, May 30, to supervise their re-installation before Alkali was allowed to take away the items he purchased.
“We were asked to be on duty that Saturday so that we could supervise the retrieving and re-installations of those old office furniture removed by [Alkali]. He was literally forced to return the items he removed from the office when he moved in,” the source alleged.
He alleged that Alkali had awarded the contract for the replacement of the furniture to himself.
“He never sought for advice or approval of appropriate authorities but when it came to recovering the money he claimed to have spent on the project, he met obstacles all the way, from the perm sec to the head of service and even at the Federal Executive Council.
“They all told him it was wrong of him to have taken that step.
“Having failed at all fronts, he made this last effort at taking away his furniture without caring about returning the ones he took away. That was where luck ran out on him,” alleged the top civil servant who pleaded anonymity.
All efforts to reach Alkali for comment failed. For more than a week, TheNiche sought audience with him without success.
Calls to his telephone number were not answered, and text messages were not replied.
