Former Minister of Culture and Tourism and former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-kayode; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and leader of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Olu Falae; a former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman; a former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa; former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri and politician Okey Ezenwa, have been implicated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the sharing of N3.145bn in the build up to the last presidential election.
“It was from the Joint Dimension’s account with Zenith Bank that the money was shared to various individuals and organizations for purposes that are not stated,” the source said.
Fani-Kayode was described as the chief beneficiary of the disbursement, allegedly receiving a whooping N840m, paid in three tranches into his Zenith Bank, Maitama branch, with number 1004735721.
The first tranche of payment involving N350m reportedly hit the account on February 19, 2015.
Another N250m was also said to have been paid into the account on February 19, 2015 while N240m moved into the account a month later, precisely on March 19, 2015.
The source disclosed that the balance on this account as at December 31, 2015 was N189, 402.72.
Another beneficiary of the alleged largesse was the Goodluck Support Group which allegedly received N320m. The group was headed by Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Prof. Rufai Alkali.
Falae, on his part, was said to have received N100m through Marreco Limited, a company whose board he chairs.
The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account No. 1000627022 on March 25, 2014.
Both Udenwa and Onwurili reportedly got N350m in two tranches. The first tranche of N150m was paid into their joint account with Zenith bank on January 13, 2015.
The second tranche of N200m was credited into their account with Diamond bank.
Usman allegedly received N36.9m through her Zenith Bank account no. 1000158311. Her branch of Zenith Bank is located at 7 Kachia Road, Kaduna.
Ezenwa allegedly pocketed N100m.
According to Premium Times’ sources, the real motive for the distribution of the funds is yet to be ascertained.
“But as things stand, the fact that most of the payments were made in the weeks preceding the last presidential elections leaves very little to the imagination,” an investigator said.
When contacted by Premium Times, Fani-Kayode said the funds were paid into his account by Usman, who was the Director of Finance of Jonathan’s campaign.
“The campaign asked me to open an account for my campaign directorate, which I did,” Fani-Kayode said.
“They then paid the money in for the assignment I was given. I asked them where the money came from. They said it was private contribution for the Jonathan campaign. I believed them, and I had no way of knowing exactly where the money came from.
“As far as I’m concerned, it was campaign funds, and the money was used for the purpose for which it was meant. And we accounted for it to the man who gave us a job to do, President Jonathan.”
Mrs. Usman could not be reached for comments.
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