Pastor Accuses CAN Of Offering Him N1m Bribe To Shut Up Over Jonathan's Alleged N7bn Bounty |PoliFocus

Pastor Kallamu Ali Dikwa

Pastor Kallamu Ali Dikwa, a clergyman from Jos, Plateau state, who accused the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of collecting N7 billion from the Goodluck Jonathan campaign in order to back him in the 2015 general election, is standing by his claims. He said that nine Toyota Jeeps were also bought for the Christian umbrella body.



Speaking in Kaduna, Dikwa said that he was offered N1million to keep quiet.“I don’t have the documents on how the money was handed to CAN, but I have my confidants who were there then and documents on how it was shared,” he said to pressmen in Kaduna, when asked for proof.

President of CAN, Supo Ayokunle, who was vice president of the association under Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has however dismissed Dikwa’s allegation, describing it as a fabrication.

Ayokunle also said that he has never given cash to anyone since he assumed office three months ago.Dikwa insists that he is not out to embarrass CAN or anyone but to sound an alarm that illegal monies should be avoided by the church.

“If, as religious body, CAN cannot stand for truth, then Nigeria will continue to grope in the dark,” he said. “Buhari will never succeed in his fight against corruption if religious leaders can’t shun corruption.”

He said that CAN made a complaint against him last year accusing him of false information, defamation of character and mischief, leading the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest and torture him for nine hours.

According to the clergyman, he was forced to write an undertaking to refrain from peddling such information.“It was after my detention that I wrote to ICPC and EFCC complaining about what I was going through and the need for their necessary action. EFCC responded tome through a text message by one Mr. Ola Oji, Abuja office in December last year: ‘Please be informed that we have vetted your petition to the commission and found it to be civil.

Consequently, we decline investigation into same. You may wish to file an action in Court against the subject please.’

“I went to court to challenge my arrest and torture. While the court case was going on, CAN leadership offered me some monetary enticement of N1 million in order to withdraw the petition and the matter in court through my bank details. I did that to trap them and to prove the authentication of what is going on.

“It is on record that on 21st of September 2016, CAN through its lawyer  texted me a piece through my mobile line to copy and write to ICPC as my opinion.”

Meanwhile, CAN President, in a telephone interview said, “I have never met any Dikwa in my life. I came on board three months ago and I have never given out any money to any individual. That must be a fabrication.

“He’s not in CAN. This is not the first time he will be making such allegation. He’s looking for people he would get money from. People like me will never do anything like that.

“I have never seen his face though I do read some of his allegations. He’s not somebody of integrity. I’m aware he’s a convert. He’s been sending me text messages but I can never associate with such people.”

TheScoop 

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