Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission has frozen the bank account of a company belonging to a
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae,
The PUNCH has learnt.
It was gathered that the account with
the United Bank for Africa titled Marecco Nigeria Limited with number
1000627022, was frozen as part of investigations into the N4bn disbursed
by the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation during the build-up to
the 2015 presidential election.
This is just as the EFCC detained a
former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, on Monday for
receiving N840m from the campaign funds. The ex-minister, who arrived
at the EFCC headquarters at 9.45am was still being quizzed as of
8.40pm.
Both Falae and Fani-Kayode were accused
of receiving N940m from the Director of Finance of the campaign
organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, during the build-up to the election.
The money was said to have emanated from
the account of the National Security Adviser which is domiciled in the
Central Bank of Nigeria.
While Falae, who was the Chairman of the
Social Democratic Party, collected N100m on behalf of his party,
Fani-Kayode received N840m as the spokesman for the campaign
organisation.
A former Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, who played an advisory role in
the PDP presidential campaign, was said to have given instructions that
N100m should be paid to Falae.
However, both Fani-Kayode and Falae have said they never knew that the money received was government’s.
Falae had said, “It is true that N100m
was given to my party to endorse and work for Jonathan candidacy in the
2015 presidential election. We used the money for that purpose and we
effectively campaigned for the PDP since we did not have a presidential
candidate in the election. The money was not for me.
“Thank God, I’m a retired civil servant.
I have all the documents to prove all that transpired between the two
parties. With all the money the PDP has and having spent 16 years in
power, how would I have known that the money was from the arms deal? No
reference was made to the arms deal. So, they should not bring me into
the arms issue.”
Fani-Kayode had also told our
correspondent that the PDP leadership gave him the impression that the
money was sourced from private individuals.
He said, “I served as the director of
publicity of the Jonathan campaign organisation and I was told to set up
an account for the directorate, which I did. I never received money
from the CBN but like all the other directors, we received money from
the director of finance.
“I was assured that the funds were not
public funds but were sourced from private individuals. I never
knowingly spent government money all through. The money was spent
specifically on the campaigns. The accounts were audited and we were
commended by the President.”
Meanwhile, the EFCC has detained Fani-Kayode as investigation continues.
Sources at the EFCC told our correspondent that the sole aim of the investigation was to recover the funds.
Usman, who served as the director of
finance of the campaign organisation, had returned some funds to the
Federal Government and also forfeited two properties in Abuja.
A reliable source at the EFCC said,
“Nenadi Usman cooperated with us and returned funds. Fani-Kayode must
also do the same. We need our money back.”
Others who received parts of the N4bn
include: The Goodluck Support Group headed by Prof. Rufai Alkali (N320m)
while N340m was jointly received by a former Governor of Imo State,
Achike Udenwa; and a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola
Onwuliri.
Source: The Punch
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