The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday at a Federal High Court in Abuja tailored its case to the allegation that the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, used the N400m he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014 to fund the party’s presidential campaign.
The anti-graft agency on Thursday called as its fifth prosecution witness – the Managing Director of CMC Connect, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya – whose firm was engaged for a media publicity and “image management” job for the PDP and its then presidential candidate in the 2015 general elections, former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Badejo-Okusanya told the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, that he was paid a total of N77.5m through Metuh’s firm, Destra Investments Limited, in December 2014 and that he started executing the job towards the end of the month.
He said the money he got from Metuh’s firm preceded a meeting which he had with Jonathan, the then Vice President, Namadi Sambo, former Senate President David Mark, and a number of other top government functionaries of the then PDP-led government, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The EFCC had on January 15, 2016 arraigned Metuh and his company on seven counts of fraudulent receipt of N400m from the Office of the NSA in November 2014 and money laundering involving a separate sum of $2m cash transaction.
The EFCC alleged that the N400m was “part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity” of the immediate past NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
The anti-graft commission also alleged in one of the counts that Metuh and his company allegedly transferred the sum of N21.7m to a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.
Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, on Thursday, Badejo-Okusanya said after the meeting with Jonathan and some top government officials, sometimes in November 2014, Metuh called him the following day to inform him that the then President was impressed with his presentation.
The witness, who in the introductory part of his testimony, narrated how his relationship with the PDP started with a public relations job which he did for the party under the chairmanship of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo in 2013, added that Metuh also informed him that he (Metuh) had been given the mandate to coordinate the PDP media campaign.
The witness said, “My company, CMC Connect, had done some work for the PDP under the chairmanship of Dr. Nwodo, who was desirous of repositioning the PDP as a vehicle for national transformation. A substantial part of that work required communication which is what we deal in.
“In November 2014, he (Metuh) called asking me where I was. He said I should come down to Abuja to attend a meeting and I obliged. On arrival at Abuja, I went to his house and he drove me to the Presidential Villa where we met a meeting in progress.
“The meeting was presided over by former President Jonathan. Others who were at the meeting included the then Vice President, Namadi Sambo, the Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu, the Senate President, David Mark, and presidential communications team, comprising Doyin Okupe, Reuben Abati, Prof. Rufai Alkali, and others. The meeting was on how to go about the last election.
“In the course of the meeting, Metuh introduced me as a communications consultant and told them that I had worked for the party before. He then asked me to speak.
“I proceeded to speak very frankly to Mr. President. Without going into the whole details, I said I felt that I should point out to him the critical things he had to do to get the election right.
“The President asked me a couple of questions and I specifically remember telling him that there was a disconnect between his government and the people. He seemed to take everything in good faith and asked us (me and Chief Metuh) to go.
“The next evening, Chief Metuh called me. He said it seemed we had impressed the President and that he (Jonathan) had asked him to coordinate the initial campaign plan for the presidential election for the PDP.”
He said his firm started the job later in December 2014 after receiving the payment of N77.5m in two tranches, with N7.5m transferred to CMC Connect’s account on December 1, 2014 and the balance of N70m later made on December 15, 2014.
The witness said, “The first part of the work which we did was to get Nigerians to appreciate the role of the military in the fight against Boko Haram, in general, insurgency.
“This was leading up to the Armed Forces Remembrance Day and we had insertions in newspapers. Thereafter, this was leading up to the Christmas season, so we had a campaign on TV stations wishing Nigerians Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”
“We had placements on those stations. We did some of them directly and some we engaged the services of a media brokers. The reason for this was that at that time there was a lot of demand for airtime from various political parties. So, to get the prime time, we needed to go through the media muscle to secure the spots we wanted – the actual time.
“We did that during the Christmas and New Year season. We also wrote materials which we titled ‘FACTS Speak’. The essence of this was to draw attention to some of the achievements of the PDP as a party.”
Bundles of the documents containing the evidence of publication of the various materials in the newspapers, and certificates of broadcast in the electronic media, invoices and cheque vouchers relating to the media jobs done, were admitted as exhibits.
Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the witness confirmed that he was given the job due to his proficiency in “image positioning management” and his relationship with the PDP.
The witness also said there was nothing unusual about the job he did for the party.
Also on Thursday, a bureau de change operator, Kabiru Ibrahim, who testified as the sixth prosecution witness, narrated how he was engaged by an employee of a financial service firm, Arms and Resource Management Limited, Nneka Ararume, to change the sum of $1m, which the prosecution alleged was provided in cash by Metuh, to naira. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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So this is a campaign of vengeance not that of fighting corruption a bi! You people are making your mission clearer by the day.This is sad for the politics.Is this yhe change? What goes around comes atound. O to!
ReplyDeleteMumu!Mugu! If using money appropriated to prosecute war against Boko Haram is not corruption, you certainly belong to the school of thought that postulates that stealing is not corruption. The blood of the innocent ones shall fight you
DeleteSorry Bro. Did you ask where the money come from? You're free to view issues as you see it, but, facts remains that the money is from the money meant for arms purchase.
DeleteI am ashamed of this APC Government and its rubbish. They are just moving round the circle with National problems snowballing everyday. No single solution so far, but the promise of more hard times to come. Nawah oh! Well, as events are unfolding..
ReplyDeleteWere this monies from the Federal Government or from the PDP account? After all PDP said they generated 27bilion Naira donations? So why dishing hands through the NSA and CBN into the common wealth for Party affairs. Please lets widen our reasoning and display some sense of nationalism. Is it right for a political party in power to finance its campaign from Nigeria's money?
ReplyDeleteIf money meant for the purchase of arms was used to buy garri from your mother in the village. Will EFCC go and arrest ur mother?. My take is this, let the person that appropriate the money pay us back.
ReplyDeleteIf APC used monies from the state governments they were controlling to campaign wouldn't they have done same if they were at the federal level. Security votes is money that we all know these politicians misappropriate. 2.1B is little fraction to the 600B that was voted for. Jona still claims the weapons he bought is what the army is using till date. APC is shooting themselves in the leg becos politicians will always look for money to campaign and campaigns take a lot of money. This political fight will continue from one government to the other and the idea of free and fair elections will become a mirage since the party in government will want to cover up her dirty deals. To fight corruption is good but am worried about this fight that has to do with campaigns. Our political parties espectially the big ones are all guilty.
ReplyDelete