Pastor Kallamu Ali Dikwa, the clergyman who broke the news that former President Goodluck Jonathan gave CAN N7bn for campaign in 2015, has denied that he later apologized to former CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
Recall that Pastor Kallamu Ali Dikwa, in 2015, told the world that former President, Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government gave Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, N7bn to campaign for his failed re-election bid, through the then CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, an allegation that CAN vehemently refuted.
Speaking to DAILY POST, Pastor Dikwa said of recent, one Mr. Emmanuel Bosum, who worked with the former CAN President went on social media telling the world that he later went to apologize before Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor that the said money was not true.
Pastor Dikwa said, “I did not go to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor to eat my words. I still stand by what l said in 2015. I fear God rather than man because there is nothing a man can do to me if l am telling the truth and l believe the truth will one day be heard.”
He added, “l was paid N1m into my account by the leadership of CAN then in order to keep mute and withdraw my petition on the N7bn paid to the association by former President Gooduck Jonathan.”
Pastor Dikwa, who claimed to have been working for CAN since 2004, said that he was not out to defame or embarrass anybody, but to let the world know that CAN leaders then should not be using the office for material things.
He explained, “if as a religious body, CAN cannot stand for the truth, then Nigeria will continue to cripple. Buhari will never succeed in his fight against corruption if religious leaders can’t key in.
“I still maintain my position on the N7bn campaign money that was given to CAN and about nine Toyota Jeeps which were shared and distributed among themselves.
“On the 17th March, 2015, l was forced at the Department of State Security to say that the information l gave about the money was false. I was also forced to write an undertaking that l would refrain from peddling such information.
“This was after a letter written by CAN on 20th February, 2015, to DSS on, ‘Complains against Pastor Kallamu Ali Dikwa for false information, defamation of character and mischief likely to cause a breach of public peace, which led to my arrest and torture for about nine hours by the DSS.
“It was after my detention that l wrote to ICPC and EFCC complaining of what l was going through and the need for their necessary actions. EFCC responded to me through a text message by one Mr. Ola Oji, from its Abuja office in December that year saying, “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.”
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Continuing, he explained, “l went to Court to challenge my arrest and torture. While the Court case was going on, CAN leadership offered me some monetary enticement in the sum of N1m 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 was going on.
“It is on record that on the 21st of September, 2016, CAN, through its lawyer, Barrister Samuel Kwamkur, text me a piece through my mobile phone line to copy and write to ICPC as my opinion.
“In my letter to ICPC, dated 29th of September, 2016, on, ‘Monetary enticement by the leadership of CAN to withdraw my petition against them’, I said ‘sir, As said earlier on concerning the sum of N7bn collected by CAN leadership, the sum of N50m was given to TEKAN/ECWA bloc’. I did get in touch with the then ECWA President, Rev. H. M. Gado about some money issues on the N50m, who confirmed to me that it was shared equally between TEKAN and ECWA.”
NAN