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Nigeria: Ex-Minister Drilled Over Corruption Charges
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Daily Champion (Lagos)
27 March 2008
Posted to the web 27 March 2008
Akor Sylvester
Abuja
FORMER Health Minister, Prof. Adenike Grange was yesterday quizzed for at least three hours by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption charges against her.
Grange Daily Champion learnt told her interrogators all she knew about the unspent ministry's N300 million in the 2007 budget.
Also yesterday, former Minister of State for Health Gabriel Yakubu Aduku said he was innocent of the alleged corrupt charges levelled against him by the EFCC.
Grange and Aduku had resigned Tuesday after they allegedly connived with 14 senior officials of the health ministry to flout President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's directive that all unspent 2007 budget funds be returned to Federal Government's coffers at the end of last year.
Shortly after her resignation, Grange said she accepted responsibility for what happened but not accepting guilt since she was not the chief accounting officer of the ministry.
However, a source at the EFCC who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that she was quizzed for at least three hours at the commission's headquarters at Wuse 2, Abuja.
On his part, Aduku said he was innocent of all the charges against him by the EFCC.
He said he voluntarily resigned to pave way for the commission to do a comprehensive investigation without any interferences from him.
A copy of his resignation letter dated March 20, 2008 and addressed to the president which was made available to Daily Champion in Abuja but signed by Aduku reads:
"I have the honour to herewith, tender my resignation as the honourable Minister of state, health based on the prevailing circumstances in the federal ministry of health and in view of the interim report of the EFCC into the financial malpractices in the ministry.
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"My decision to resign is informed by my firm believe that while I remain innocent of all the charges levelled against me in the EFCC report, I consider it appropriate that I should leave the stage to give unfettered opportunity to the EFCC to conclude its enquiries.
"I wish to seize this opportunity to express my profound and sincere appreciation to your Excellency, for the opportunity you have given me to serve as a member of your cabinet.In my brief service in government, I have endeavoured to serve with commitment, dedication and loyalty to implement your Excellency's policies and programmes in the health sector.
"As I leave government, I pledge my unalloyed loyalty and commitment to serve your Excellency and my dear country, Nigeria , as you continue to drive to achieve the administration's seven point development agenda leading to the realisation of the gigantic/enormous challenge of the vision 20-2020 project".
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