One of the chieftains of the Socialist Democratic Party, SDP and former presidential candidate, Olu Falae has implicated former President Goodluck Jonathan in the sharing of arms deal slush funds.
Olu Falae
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, has submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission an email correspondence between him and a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, Punch reports.
This has raised fears that the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who has been heavily linked to the rampaging Niger Delta Avengers destroying oil facilities in the South-south region could be invited for questioning.
According to reports, Falae tendered the email as an evidence in the probe linking him to N100m election funds. It was learnt that Anenih, in the email, mentioned that he was acting on the instruction of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
A source at the EFCC told a correspondent that in the email dated March 2015, Anenih, who played a supervisory role in the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, informed Falae that N100m had been approved by Jonathan and would be handed over to him (Falae).
A source at the EFCC said, “In the email, Anenih told Chief Falae, who is the Chairman of the SDP that N100m had been approved by President Jonathan as part of the agreement between the PDP and the SDP ahead of the presidential election.
“He further urged Falae to provide an account which the money would be paid into.”
The N100m, which was given to Falae by Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It was eventually paid into the account of Marreco Limited, where Falae is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2015.
When contacted on the telephone, a spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, confirmed that 78-year-old Falae had submitted all correspondence between Falae and the PDP.
He said, “We had a letter of agreement between the PDP and the SDP regarding cooperation between the two parties for the election. There was an email from Anenih stating that Mr. President (Jonathan) told him to transfer the money to that effect.
“We have submitted everything to the EFCC, but the EFCC has not deemed it fit to invite Anenih which shows that it is people within the All Progressives Congress that are just trying to rubbish the image of Chief Falae, who has served meritoriously as a permanent secretary, a SGF and a finance minister.”
It is not clear if Jonathan will be invited by the anti-graft agency to invite the PDP chieftain for clarifications as Falae has been charged to court after failing to return the N100 million slush funds to government coffers.
According to reports, Falae tendered the email as an evidence in the probe linking him to N100m election funds. It was learnt that Anenih, in the email, mentioned that he was acting on the instruction of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
A source at the EFCC told a correspondent that in the email dated March 2015, Anenih, who played a supervisory role in the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, informed Falae that N100m had been approved by Jonathan and would be handed over to him (Falae).
A source at the EFCC said, “In the email, Anenih told Chief Falae, who is the Chairman of the SDP that N100m had been approved by President Jonathan as part of the agreement between the PDP and the SDP ahead of the presidential election.
“He further urged Falae to provide an account which the money would be paid into.”
The N100m, which was given to Falae by Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It was eventually paid into the account of Marreco Limited, where Falae is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2015.
When contacted on the telephone, a spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, confirmed that 78-year-old Falae had submitted all correspondence between Falae and the PDP.
He said, “We had a letter of agreement between the PDP and the SDP regarding cooperation between the two parties for the election. There was an email from Anenih stating that Mr. President (Jonathan) told him to transfer the money to that effect.
“We have submitted everything to the EFCC, but the EFCC has not deemed it fit to invite Anenih which shows that it is people within the All Progressives Congress that are just trying to rubbish the image of Chief Falae, who has served meritoriously as a permanent secretary, a SGF and a finance minister.”
It is not clear if Jonathan will be invited by the anti-graft agency to invite the PDP chieftain for clarifications as Falae has been charged to court after failing to return the N100 million slush funds to government coffers.
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