REVEALED: Real reason Buhari suspended NPA MD—Hadiza Usman

Details have emerged why President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, suspended the Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman.

It was gathered that the NPA Managing Director, way back in 2018, was involved in a two million Dollar dirty deal that saw Senator Shehu Sani kicked out of the National Assembly.

According to a report three years ago, Bala Usman paid a whopping two million Dollars to the then National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The money, it was gathered, was delivered in cash to Comrade Oshiomhole in Abuja through one Farouk Adamu, Hon. Farouk Adamu Aliyu, a seasoned politician and former Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, as well as a governorship aspirant from Jigawa State.

A source privy to the deal revealed to SaharaReporters how the Kaduna Central APC Senatorial District ticket was sold for the said amount to Uba Sani, Political Adviser to the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

The report stated: “According to the source, Mrs. Usman, singlehandedly gave the money to Farouk Adamu.

“He revealed that the sum of N50 million was offered to the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, by Uba Sani, which he turned down.

“The source also noted that Nabena had issued several press statements that Shehu Sani remained the only candidate cleared for the zone.

“He had insisted he would only do what the National Working Committee (NWC) asked him to do, as he had no power to upturn their decision.

“Hadiza, however, threatened to do everything possible to stop Shehu Sani from getting the automatic ticket, whether the NWC liked it or not.”

It was gathered that after the failure of a series of attempts by the proxies to get Nabena’s cooperation, Hadiza went straight to Farouk, who collected the cash.

The report also narrated how Governor El-Rufai threatened to pitch tent with Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), if Shehu Sani’s name was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the APC candidate for Kaduna Central Senatorial District.

The backlash that followed the bribery allegations levelled against Oshiomhole compelled his Chief Press Secretary, Simon Ebegbulem, to issue a statement on Thursday, in which Oshiomhole threatened to take legal action against further allegations.

However, Nabena has asked Ebegbulem to stop the media propaganda and face the reality on ground, as it had affected the party negatively.

Furthermore, Hadiza Usman was fingered in another scandal involving sugar war between Aliko Dangote, the Chairman Dangote Industries Limited, and fellow sugar billionaire giant, BUA Group Chairman, Samad Rabiu.

Aliko Dangote and Chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, Mr John Coumatros, had written a petition to the Minister of Trade and Industries, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo.

Acting on the controversial petition, Adebayo issued a directive banning sugar importation from free trade zones into Nigeria.

He wrote a letter which he copied the Nigeria Ports Authority Managing  Director, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation prohibiting the sugar importation from Free Trade Zones.

The move was believed to be targeted at BUA sugar refinery as well as its investments.

Curiously, some agencies of the Federal Government, especially the NPA, acted promptly on the Minister’s directive and directed all Terminal operators to comply with the Minister’s order strictly.

The move to disrupt BUA’s activities reportedly embarrassed the government.

Adebayo soon realized his goof and was forced to quickly reverse his earlier stance and directed that the action on sugar importation be stopped.

As for Hadiza Bala Usman who was in a hurry to overlook court order, she was slammed a suspension from office as NPA Managing Director.

In the interim, an Acting CEO has been appointed in person of Mohammed Koko, the erstwhile Executive Director, Finance and Administration.

Other sources disclosed that Buhari approved the recommendation of the Ministry of Transportation under Rotimi Amaechi to set up of an Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate Bala Usman’s NPA.

Read also:

Buhari suspends NPA MD—Hadiza Usman barely 3 month after re-appointment

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