Col. Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), has revealed that on the orders of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, he released about $47 million for delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the party’s convention in November 2014.
According to The Nation, Dasuki disclosed this in “a statement of witness/accused person” which was filed in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court ahead of his arraignment yesterday.
The newspaper reported that the former NSA handed over the money to Waripamowei Dudafa, Jonathan’s special assistant on domestic affairs and his aide-de-camp.
Dasuki was said to have protested the decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to subject him to “media trial” when he acted on the instructions and approval of the president. “I wish to state as follows: that I have been publicly indicted and any statement may jeopardise my defence. Having been briefed by the EFCC investigators on why I was invited, I will answer the charges in court,” the statement read.
“That I am aware in November (I cannot remember the exact date), my office requested the CBN to exchange N10 billion from the account of the office of national security adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged at $47m and some Euros which I cannot remember. The exact amount was delivered to my residence.
“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. (Waripamowei) Dudafa (SSAP Household) and ADC(C-IC) for distribution on the instruction of the president.
“Based on the statement of director of finance and administration (Salisu), Ibrahim Wambai, and Yazidu Ibrahim, all the cash (both foreign and local) are usually given to them for official use.
“I also noted the statement of Sagir Bafarawa whose company is Dalhatu Investment which he stated that he received the sum of N4,633,000,000 from the account of the Office of the NSA. I authorised the payment.
“The money was for vehicles, motorcycles for youth empowerment and women sent to Saudi Arabia. I got the proposal from the president. I do not have the proposal; it should be at the office in the villa.
“I have seen the statement of the Zenith Bank account where N5 billion was paid. I authorised the following payments, among others: Jabbama Ada Global Nigeria Limited (N400m); R.R. Hospital (N750m); ACACIA Holdings LTD (N1.25b); Barr. I.M. Bala (N150m); African Cable TV (N 350m); Nigerian Defence Academy (N159m); B.B. (N350m); Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (N125,503, 255.11); Coscharis Motors (N119m).
“The payments were meant for various partners as earlier listed. I know Basha Nigeria Limited to be owned by Hon. Bello Matawalle. I authorided the payment of N380 million for further disbursement to members of the House of Representatives as campaign contribution. I authorised the payment of N751 million to HEIRS BDC Limited for conversion to forex from the account of the NSA. Money was used for operation in the Office of the NSA.
“I have seen the mandate from the CBN signed by me authorising payment of various sums of money to Dalhatu Investment for the reasons earlier stated.
“In respect of funds given to Amb. Bashir Yuguda between December 2014 and 2015, I authorised the payment of N1.5 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser for political campaign in the last elections. I remember paying DAAR Communications the sum of N2.120 billion from ONSA for media activities for the presidential campaign 2015.
“I do not have any company registered in my name, I have no account with HSBC. All payments made from NSA accounts within the period I was there were authorised by me.”
The Nation said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) confirmed that the N10 billion was sourced from the signature bonus account (oil block account). The apex bank was said to have made the clarification in an October 29, 2015 letter to the EFCC’s director of operations.
The letter reads: “Your letter ref: EFCC/EC/ CBN/ 12/163 dated 21st September 2015 to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and the directive by the management that we provide some explanations, we wish to state as follows: “The N10 billion constitutes two tranches of N5.08 billion each debited to the CBN/OAGF SIGNATURE BONUS ACCOUNT NO 400225220 vide OAGF memo Ref: FD/LP2015/1/28 DF to the Office of the National Security Adviser A/C Number 20172241019 with the CBN Abuja and the second was for credit into the account of National Security Adviser Account Number 1014199287 with Zenith Bank Plc Wuse II Abuja.
“The transactions were consummated on November 10, 2014. The mandate that authorized the withdrawal of USD47.0m was from the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) with REF: NSA/366/S dated November 26, 2014. The mandate was processed for dollar cash payment to Mr. S. A. Salisu on November 27, 2014.
“The USD5.0M was via a memo from the ONSA memo REF: ACCT/86/VOL. 2/ 218 dated November 13, 2014. The National Security Adviser Account Number 20172241019 was debited and dollar cash payment made to Mr. Wambai Ibrahim on November 14, 2014 in line with the mandate.
“The Euro 4.0m and Euro 1.6m transactions were via mandate from ONSA memo REF: NASS/ 366/S dated November 26, 2014. The NSA’s Account Number 20172241019 was debited and Euro cash payment effected as follows: Euro 4.0m on December 3, 2014 and Euro 1.6m was on December 24, 2014. These sums were released to Mr. S. A. Salisu as stipulated in the mandate. Attached are copies of all the relevant documents please.”
Emefiele was reportedly responding to a letter written by Ibrahim Lamorde, former EFCC chairman.
