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Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olisa Metuh, yesterday told Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in Abuja how he got N400 million from ex-President Goodluck Jonathan before the 2015 presidential election.
Metuh, who spoke from the witness box while testifying in defence on the seven-count charge against him, said former President Jonathan requested for his account number, after watching his pesentation on the strategies needed to be employed by the PDP to neutralise the political influence of the then opposition All Progressives Congress, (APC), which had General Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate.
Metuh is facing a seven-count money laundering charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against him and his Destra Investment Limited.
Metuh said that the money was sent to his account after he exposed some of the challenges that were facing Jonathan’s re-election bid.
He named the current Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi, then Vice President Namadi Sambo, then national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, ex-Cross River State governor, Mr. Liyel Imoke, and a chieftain of the party, the late Chief Tony Anenih, as those that watched the Powerpoint presentation with Jonathan.
Metuh told justice Abang that Jonathan was very impressed with the presentation and said that the party was in good financial standing to sponsor a favourable media campaign.
“He requested that I should give him account details for him to send money to handle what he called special assignment. He said the success of the assignment would go a long way in determining the survival of our democracy, especially the holding of a peaceful election.
“The President also directed his aides, Reuben Abati, Doyin Okupe and Oronto Douglas, to work directly with me under the supervision of Chief Anenih.
“As we got to the car park, the national chairman told me that since the President was comfortable with my proposal for the media campaign, I should come to his house with my bill, together with the national financial secretary.
He directed the national financial secretary to approve my outstanding bills and to keep for emergencies for my media campaign.
“Subsequently, he approved the programme for the party’s media campaign.
“The President later told me that he had paid N400 million to my account and that I should start the assignment immediately. I thanked him and I directed Mr. Sam Ben, my executive assistant to call my account officer. We asked her whether I had N400 million inflow into my account. She took a couple of minutes and confirmed the payment of N400 million. Consequent upon that, we started the assignment.”
Asked if he was aware of the source of the the N400 million, Metuh said: “I know the payment came from the President as a leader of the the party and with assurances of the funds that he personally raised from his friends. It is normal that the leader or candidate in an election spends money and contributions that are mostly made directly to him. I had knowledge that the leader of the party informed me that he made the payment of N400 million into my account,” Metuh said.
He stated that he never knew the EFCC was investigating him until his statement of account was published in a national daily: “I became worried, so I called my account officer to ask her whether the EFCC was investigating my accounts and why the bank failed to inform me before giving the details of my account to the media. She promised to get a copy of the statement to me but it was the same day that I was invited and arrested by EFCC.
“In the EFCC, when they showed me what they said was my account, they asked me whether I had any business with any government establishment.
“I wrote down that, to the best of my knowledge, I had not done any contract or business with any government office within the last one year. They asked me whether I met with Dasuki, whether I had business with him and the ONSA.”
Meanwhile, EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, urged the court to compel Metuh to close his defence.
Tahir alleged that Metuh, who commenced his defence since July 6, 2018, was deliberately stalling his trial with “irrelevant stories” that have no bearing to the charge against him.
Justice Abang adjourned further hearing on the matter till March 4.
