ABUJA—An aide to former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Mr. Abba Dabo, the previous day, defined before the Abuja division of the Federal excessive courtroom, why he back N25million given to him by using the embattled national publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic birthday celebration, PDP, chief Olisa Metuh.
This came as an Abuja high courtroom sitting at Maitama, yesterday, fixed Monday to rule on an application with the aid of the embattled former country wide security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, (retd), searching for to quash the N32 billion cash laundering price favored towards him by using the monetary and economic Crimes fee, EFCC.
Dabo, who was a unique Adviser to the ex-vice chairman, Sambo, informed the court that he quick back the money to the financial and financial Crimes fee, EFCC, after his name regarded within the listing of these that benefited from the $2.1billion arms fund largesse.
He testified before the trial courtroom the previous day as the 7th prosecution witness, PW-7.
In his evidence-in-leader, Dabo, advised the court that on December sixteen, 2015, the 1st defendant, gave him the N25m to assist him (Metuh) to intensify exposure for the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said that Metuh equally mandated him to publicise the marketing campaign activities of the PDP if you want to making sure that the party retained its preserve at the presidential electricity.
He stated: “when it became obvious that former President Goodluck Jonathan will run for a 2nd term in workplace, government officers and birthday celebration leaders started out to fulfill to check the achievements of the authorities and put together for the elections.
“inside the course of these conferences, a number of concern become proven inside the competition’s general manage of the media. The PDP turned into getting negative publicity, and ministers were told to talk greater to the press to enhance the photo of the government.
“On my part, we installation a media support institution and registered it as ‘Media assist gadget’ to do media paintings for the celebration. We commissioned writers to write down and be paid to sell the authorities.
“We called it speedy reaction crew which changed into successful. It became its achievement that caused extra conferences with Metuh.
“As at then, the social media became becoming more stringent in the complaint of the PDP. also, Hausa radio stations had been vicious within the assault of the authorities and the party. chief Metuh idea I could help in mitigating this, that became why he gave me the N25m five days after the presidential nomination conference.
“With that money, we installation a crew of facilitators and young IT lovers to run a internet site called, ‘What’s Up Naija’, but we could not sign in it due to the fact the corporate Affairs commission, CAC, desired it to be ‘What’s Up Nigeria”, the witness introduced.
The witness informed the court that though he changed into no longer privy to the supply of the N25m that was given to him by Metuh, he said that he voluntarily returned the money to the EFCC after his name regarded in newspaper guides.
“It became inside the newspaper that I noticed that the cash changed into a part of the palms purchase deal. whilst the money was given to me, I did now not recognize where it got here from and that i did not ask.
“I idea that Metuh got a few investment from assets and i remember that he wrote a suggestion to former President Jonathan on the way to decorate the picture of the PDP and through extension the federal government.
in the meantime, an Abuja high court docket sitting at Maitama, yesterday, fixed Monday to rule on an software by means of the embattled former country wide security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, rtd, searching for to quash the N32billion cash laundering rate that changed into desired against him by using the financial and monetary Crimes commission, EFCC.
Dasuki who's going through trial along the erstwhile Director of Finance in the office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu and a former govt Director of the Nigerian countrywide Petroleum employer, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa , is praying the court docket to discharge him from the nineteen-be counted criminal fee.
additionally charged over the alleged fraud had been two companies- Acacia retaining restricted and Reliance Referal sanatorium limited, which the anti-graft organization identified as conduit pipes thru which the N32bn turned into allegedly siphoned from bills the office of the NSA operated with both the imperative financial institution of Nigeria and other financial establishments.
The finances have been allegedly allotted to delegates that attended the Presidential number one Election the Peoples Democratic birthday party, PDP, held in Abuja.
Vanguard
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