Manman Alakai, commissioner representing Nasarawa state in the Federal Character Commission (FCC), on Tuesday, denied receiving bribe to secure employment for job seekers.
Mr Alakai, who appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee probing job racketeering in federal government agencies in Abuja, denied collecting money to secure jobs for anyone in any ministry, department, or agency (MDA).
Musa Ibrahim, one of the victims of job racketeering, while appearing before the committee on Aug. 14, claimed he, alongside nine others, paid millions into Abdullahi Ibrahim’s account.
He said Mr Ibrahim acted as the linkman to the commissioner, representing Nasarawa state to collect money from job seekers willing to pay.
Meanwhile, Mr Alakai, in his defence before the committee, said he knew Mr Ibrahim in question but added that contrary to his claim that he was his personal assistant, “Mr Ibrahim has never been my PA or worked in FCC.”
Narrating his experience, Mr Alakai said:
“A traditional ruler in Nasarawa called to inform me that one of my aides collected money from him for job slots.
“I asked that the number be tracked by the police and I discovered it was Ibrahim and I wrote a petition to the police and he was traced.
“When they went to his house, the police found a uniform of the Nigerian Correctional Service. He claimed that he worked there. I was told that the people he defrauded have gone to court,” he said.
Mr Alakai challenged the committee to investigate his account to ascertain the claim, saying, “my account is open for the committee to scrutinise since Ibrahim claimed he paid money to me for job slots.”
Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, the chairman of the committee, said about nine people have evidence of a transfer made to Mr Ibrahim.
He said that was why Mr Alakai was invited to appear before the committee to give evidence since he claimed he was working for him.
Angered by the non-appearance of Musa Ibrahim, who made the allegations, the chairman said, “you can’t come and make public allegations against any public officer without coming to substantiate it.
“We have nothing to say to you further because the people making allegations are not here, if they are not acting a script, they should be here to give further evidence.
“If you cannot justify that you pay money for any job slots with evidence, we will not allow any citizens to blackmail people without facts, ” he said.
The chairman vowed never to call anyone to appear before it again in FCC, adding that the committee had established two things exist in the commission.
This, according to him, includes; accusations against the chairman and the selling of job slots among commissioners.
Other agencies that appeared to give accounts of recruitment in their agencies include the Corporate Affairs Commission, National Universities Commission and Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, among others.
