A witness,
Richard Ihediwa, told a Federal High Court on Thursday, October 27, 2016
that embattled Olisa Metuh, solely funded publicity activities during
Jonathan’s re-election campaign. Metuh, a former National publicity
secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, is being tried for alleged N400m
money laundering.
Ihediwa, who was Metuh’s personal
assistant on media, disclosed this while being led in evidence by the
defence counsel, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN). He said that it came to a
point that the ‘situation room’ was not funded by the party, and Metuh
decided to pick up the burden and funded the activities of the publicity
team from his pocket.
The witness said the financial status of
the publicity arm was so bad that at a point they could not pay
companies that ran adverts for them. He said, “But Metuh begged and
asked me to understand that the office was not funded.
“That was when it was decided that extra
hands be hired but he (Metuh) said he will pay them from his pocket.
The nature of our schedule was so tight that I literally broke down
because of pressure of work. I couldn’t cope because I was alone.
“I told Metuh I would not be able to
continue except he hired other professionals. He reminded me that
funding was an issue in the party and said he had severally made a case
to the national working committee to no avail. He pleaded I should
continue but I said I couldn’t under such conditions.”
The witness further told the court that
when he sought to know why his boss was using his personal funds for the
party, he explained that he didn’t want to fail as a publicity
secretary. He said, “He (Metuh) bought laptops, cameras, video cameras
and was the one paying the monthly allowances of the five new media
aides he engaged. As I speak, the party has not refunded him that
money.”
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, adjourned the case till Oct. 31 for continuation of trial. (NAN)
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