Fani-Kayode
Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives yesterday
arrested former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa over the disbursement
of a huge sum of money during the 2015 presidential election.
Of the N4billion withdrawn from the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), N2.5 billion was paid into the accounts
of six chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including
Udenwa, and the Goodluck Support Group (GSG).
As of last night, Udenwa was still being
detained at the Lagos State office of the anti-graft agency, which has
launched a manhunt for a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi
Fani-Kayode.
Of the six people implicated in the
scandal, only a former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, has been
grilled by detectives.
The details of how the cash was
disbursed are: Fani-Kayode (N840million); Goodluck Support Group
(N320million); Achike Udenwa and Viola Onwuliri (N350million); Nenadi
Usman (N140million); Olu Falae(N100m) and Okey Ezenwa (N100million).
Mrs Usman, who was granted
administrative bail on health grounds, is expected for more
interrogation in Lagos this week. She was said to have refunded N140
million. She signed an undertaking to make more refunds and forfeit two
houses to the government.
She allegedly owns an account, “Joint
Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited”, into which a substantial part of the
funds was lodged and from where cash was disbursed to party chieftains.
According to a source, Udenwa, who was allegedly picked up in Enugu was flown to Lagos for questioning.
A source in EFCC said: “As part of the
ongoing probe of the N2.5billion illegally collected from the CBN for
campaign purpose, our operatives have arrested a former Governor of Imo
State, Achike Udenwa. He was picked up in Enugu but now detained in
Lagos for grilling.
“He is expected to explain how he came about N350million with a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri.
“Besides getting the list of
beneficiaries of the N350million, we are interested in how he will
refund the cash, which was illegally taken from the CBN.”
The EFCC has launched a manhunt for a
former Aviation Minister Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, who “has refused to
report to the agency for interaction”.
“All attempts by our operatives to
locate the whereabouts of Mr. Fani-Kayode have failed because he has
not only switched off his phones, he has virtually gone underground,”
the source said, adding: “We will fish him out wherever he is. Having
been watch-listed by the EFCC, he cannot hide for long .”
Fani-Kayode is rated as “the chief
beneficiary” of the disbursement of the slush funds as he allegedly
received N840million, paid in three tranches into his Zenith Bank,
Maitama branch account with No.1004735721.
The EFCC source gave the details of the transactions from Mrs Usman company’s accounts to Fani-Kayode and others.
The source said: “The first tranche of
payment involving N350million hit the account on February 19, 2015.
Another N250milion was also paid into the account on February19, 2015
while N240million was similarly credited to the account a month later;
precisely March 19, 2015.
“The balance on this account as at 31st December, 2015 was N189, 402.72.”
The Goodluck Support Group allegedly received N320million
Falae allegedly received N100m through
Marreco Limited, a company in which he is listed as chairman. The fund
was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account No.
1000627022 on March 25, 2014. The former Secretary to the Government of
the Federation has denied any wrongdoing.
“Both Achike Udenwa and Viola Onwuliri
got N350million in two tranches. The first tranche of N150million was
paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The
second tranche of N200miilion was credited into their account with
Diamond Bank,” the source said, pleading not to be named because he is
not permitted to talk to the media.
Okey Ezenwa is believed to have received N100million.
Fani-Kayode has said that he got the
cash for campaign purposes and that he rendered and account of how it
was spent. He never knew the source of the cash, he said.
Udenwa said: “The money was disbursed
with approval from the presidential campaign headquarters. It was not
paid into my personal account.”
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