Gov. Abiodun denies cutting deal with US convict Rufai

Dapo Abiodun, the Ogun State governor, has denied his government paid $50,000 per deal facilitated by his convicted former appointee, Bidemi Rufai.

The United States government had convicted Rufai for fraud. Before his conviction, Rufai had served as Abiodun’s senior special assistant on housing.

Speaking through Kunle Somorin, his chief press secetary, Abiodun said no such deal took place before Rufai’s arrest and conviction.

He also denied Rufai was receiving $2,000 in salary, describing the allegation as “outrageous and baseless.”

Somorin, in the statement, stated that the “salaries and wages of political office holders are fixed by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission”.

He said ‘Rufai, while serving in the state, did not bring a single investor or facilitated any investment from the United States of America”.

“Bidemi Rufai was appointed as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Housing and was nominated for appointment barely three months before he was arrested.

“He had not resumed formerly and had no official office to transact business. He wasn’t part of the Ogun State Economic Management Team and have got no input into the state government activities. His appointment was based on his activities in his ward. He didn’t sit in the State Executive Council meetings and couldn’t have had inputs in policies of the state government.

“The governor had no deal with Rufai on any transaction. He brought not a single one. They can check with the US embassy.”