The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has received more evidence linking former junior Minister for
Defence Musiliu Obanikoro, who now is hiding abroad, with the infamous
Ekitigate election scandal of June 2014 and the related plot to rig the Osun
State gubernatorial election.
According to our source, the
commission obtained financial transaction information and witness testimonies
connecting Mr. Obanikoro with a group of companies which received at least
N1.45 billion to rig the two governorship elections last year.
The N1.45 billion was allegedly
funneled into the accounts of five companies, all of which were under the
control of Mr. Obanikoro. The evidence of these transactions emerged from EFCC
interrogations of ten suspects connected with the $2.1 billion arms scandal
involving the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Sambo Dasuki.
It would be recalled that
SaharaReporters exclusively published an audio recording by whistleblower
Captain Sagir Koli last February revealing Mr. Obanikoro presiding over a
meeting on the eve of the Ekiti election that was called to discuss how to
ensure the victory of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ayo
Fayose. In addition to both men at the meeting were the Osun State
governorship candidate, Iyiola Omisore; the Minister for Police Affairs, Jelili
Adesiyan; and Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh of the Nigerian Army.
Last month, the army announced a
five-man panel to ascertain any malpractice by its officers during the
gubernatorial contests. The chairman of the panel, Major General Adeniyi
Oyebade, stated that his committee would tender a report within two weeks to
the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai
In a report last week, The Nation
newspaper said it was told by a source that massive amounts of money were moved
from the Federal Government to an “ex-Minister” to rig the Ekiti and Osun State
governor contests. SaharaReporters has confirmed that the former minister
in reference is Mr. Obanikoro.
According to the source, who quoted
by the newspaper, “The huge funds were paid into the accounts of the
ex-Minister for elections in the two states,” and “some military and security
personnel were to benefit from the slush funds” were shortchanged.
Mr. Obanikoro is currently thought
to be hiding out in the United States. Sources speaking with a
SaharaReporters correspondent disclosed that agents of the Department of State
Security recently intercepted several calls between a panicky Mr. Obanikoro and
the former Senate President, David Mark, in which the former Minister pleaded
for assistance from Mr. Mark regarding his forthcoming legal problems.
The same sources said that Mr.
Obanikoro fears extradition if he remains where he is hiding and is therefore
trying to “eliminate” the prospects of legal proceedings against him in
Nigeria.
One of the suspects interrogated by
the EFCC is an official of the ONSA who confirmed that the funds were
transferred to the five companies at the behest of a former Accountant-General.
According to investigation, the
companies controlled by Mr. Obanikoro which received the deposits included:
Stellavera Dev Company (N300m), First Aralac Global Limited (N300m), First
Aralac Global Limited (N100m), Damaris Mode (N300m), Stellavera Dev Company
(N200m), and Whese Farms Ltd (N250m).
The funds were used either to
influence the elections in Ekiti and Osun States or simply laundered, or were
earmarked for the 2015 presidential elections.
Efforts by Mr. Obanikoro to quash
the EFCC’s investigation from the United States have reportedly failed so far
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