Jonathan’s ADC states role in N10b gift for PDP chiefs

Jonathan's ADC states role in N10b gift
for PDP chiefs
Posted By: Yusuf Alli, Abuja on: February
22, 2016
THE NATION
Former President Goodluck Jonathan's
detained ex-Aide-de-Camp (ADC) Col.
Ojogbane Adegbe has passed the buck
on the N10billion gift for Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) delegates.
He has told the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ask Dr.
Jonathan's former Special Assistant on
Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa to
account for the cash, a source said
yesterday.
The ADC said when the suitcases
containing the cash were brought as
messages for the President, he merely
handed them over to Dudafa.
He said military law forbids him from
opening any message meant for the
President, unless otherwise directed.
Also, one of the Army officers being
questioned over the $2.1 billion arms
purchase scandal, Col. N. Ashinze , the
former Special Military Assistant to the
ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), is
stranded as he could not resume in his
new posting as the nation's Military
Attache to the Nigerian Embassy in
Germany.
Although Col. Ashinze has been released
from EFCC custody and restricted to the
Officers Mess, there was anxiety
yesterday that he might be dropped from
the foreign mission.
Also yesterday, it was learnt that the
embattled ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Air
Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has been
linked with the ongoing probe of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Air Chief Marshal Badeh was moved to
Lagos last week as part of the
investigation of NIMASA.
The EFCC is believed to be tidying up
some loose ends in its investigation of
military officers suspected to have been
involved in the $2.1b phoney arms deals.
The N10billion withdrawn from the oil
block account at the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) for PDP delegates to its
nomination convention has been a
knotty issue because it was based on the
instruction of the former President,
according to a source close to the
investigation.
The source said: "The ADC has spoken
with investigators. He said when the suit
cases containing the N10billion were
brought as messages for the ex-
President, he did not open them but he
handed over the items to SA Domestic
Affairs.
"He said as ADC, the military law forbids
him from opening any message meant
for the President, unless directed by the
C-I-C.
"So, it is only the SA Domestic Affairs,
who has sneaked out of the country, who
will need to provide the list of
beneficiaries. This is the status of the
case.
"If Dudafa does not show up, we may
declare him wanted in connection with
the N10billion cash or seek the court's
permission to attach his property.
"We are exploring mutual legal
assistance with some countries to fish out
Dudafa wherever he is hiding abroad."
Col. Dasuki said he handed over the
N10billion given to the delegates to
Dudafa and the ADC.
The ex-NSA opened up in his Statement
of Witness/Accused Person which has
been filed in the High Court of the
Federal Capital Territory(FCT)
He said: "That I am aware in November, I
cannot remember the exact date. My
office requested the CBN to exchange
N10billion from the account of the Office
of the National Security Adviser
domiciled in CBN.
"The money was for delegates that
attended the nomination convention for
the PDP presidential nomination. The
money was paid and sent to Hon. Dudafa
(SSAP Household) and ADC(C-I-C) for
distribution on the instruction of the
President."
On Col. Ashinze, a source said: "So far,
nothing has been found against the said
officer or else EFCC would still be
keeping him.
"He is stranded at the Officers Mess. We
don't know whether or not the EFCC will
use him as a witness."
On Air Chief Marshal Badeh, the source
said: "We moved him to Lagos in
connection with the ongoing probe of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency(NIMASA) during the tenure
of the former Director- General, Dr.
Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi.
"You know that a High Court has ordered
the arrest and seizure of assets of a
former Niger Delta Militant, Government
Tompolo. We are already searching for
the suspect.
"The outcome of the investigation in
Lagos will determine whether or not
Chief Marshal Badeh will be part of the
trial of Akpobolokemi and Tompolo."
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