A
former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has told the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that he gave the sum of N2.3bn to the
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, in the run-up to the Ekiti State
governorship election in 2014.
Obanikoro
was said to have also told operatives that $60m was converted to dollars at
N168 per to a dollar and given to Fayose.
It was on Tuesday that the
minister told operatives of the anti-graft commission, who continued his
interrogation in Abuja on Tuesday, that he personally handed over N5,357,357 to
the governor on an occasion.
A
top operative of the commission, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, said Obanikoro told his interrogators that the money was transferred
to Fayose on the instruction of the former National Security Adviser, Col.
Sambo Dasuki, (retd.).
The
source alleged that following the instructions from the former NSA, the sum of
N1.3bn was brought for transfer to Fayose by Diamond Bank in a bullion van.
Obanikoro
was also said to have told the EFCC operatives that Agbele received the money
in the presence of the ex-minister’s Aide De Camp, one Lt. Adewale, and
officials of Diamond Bank at the Lagos airport.
The
source added, “The former minister, Obanikoro has made some revelations. You
know that he responded to a petition from the office of the NSA dated
28/11/2015 under the category ‘Payment without award of contracts’.
“He
admitted that N2.23bn was transferred to Macnamara for onward transfer to
Governor Ayodele Fayose. He claimed that it was done on the instructions of the
NSA.
“He
also said he handed over N5,357,357 to Fayose.
“Obanikoro
told the commission that the N1.3bn was received by Mr. Biodun Agbele, one of
Fayose’s associates, in the presence of his (Obanikoro) ADC, one Lt. Adewale,
and bank officials.”
The
former minister was said to have told his interrogators that while he had no
interaction with the officials of the bank, he called Fayose to have his
consent to hand over the money to Agbele.
The
source stated that Obanikoro also told his interrogators that Agbele used his
(Obanikoro) mobile to speak to Fayose to confirm receipt of the money.
“Obanikoro
also said the money was moved from the Lagos airport to Akure airport in two
flights.
“He
said he instructed that the money be handed over to the governor before leaving
with the first flight,” the source said.
The
source said the ex-defence minister, however, denied ownership of Sylvan
Mcnamara, the company that received N4.685bn from the ONSA between April 4,
2014 and November 13, 2014.
The
anti-graft agency had alleged that Obanikoro’s sons, Babajide and Gbolahan,
were directors in Sylvan Mcnamara as of the time the money was paid into the
company’s account.
The
former minister was quoted to have admitted that he introduced the owner of the
firm, whose name was given as Mr. Kareem Taiwo, to the former NSA in the days
of heightened fear of possible Boko Haram attacks on Lagos and the South-West.
The
source stated, “He denied being the owner of the company but admitted
introducing the owner of the company, one Mr. Kareem Taiwo, to the NSA during
the days of the threat of Boko Haram in Lagos and the South-West.
“He
said the company was introduced to the ONSA at a time government was taking a
decision to incorporate local input into intelligence gathering to prevent
terrorists attacks in Lagos and the South-West.”
It was learnt that the
former minister was being questioned by the commission for receipt of funds
from the ONSA without contract awards.
The
firm, which received the money from the ONSA, Mcnamara, was said to be listed
as number 78 among companies that received funds from the ONSA.
It
was learnt that Obanikoro was still being detained by the EFCC as of the time
of fling this report on Tuesday night to continue with the agency’s
investigations on Wednesday.
Source:The
Punch
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Politics