$2.1bn arms deal: Ladoja received N100m from Anenih –Accord Party
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The Accord Party has confirmed that its leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, received N100m from the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, ahead of the last general elections.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had alleged that the sum of N260m found in the PDP leader’s account, was from the $2.1bn arms funds.
Accord Party is one of the minor political parties that did not field a candidate in the 2015 presidential election, but presented Ladoja as its governorship candidate in Oyo State.
The confirmation of the money Ladoja received from Anenih, which was believed to be from the $2.1bn arms money, was contained in a one-page letter to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, by the National Secretary of Accord, Mr. Nureni Adisa.
In the letter titled, “Release of N100m by Chief Tony Anenih” and dated 8th January, 2016, Adisa stated that the money was used to support the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Adisa’s letter to the EFCC chairman read, “Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper report that the sum of N100m was released to the Accord leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, by Chief Tony Anenih, the (former) Chairman BoT of the PDP.
“We confirm that the sum of N100m was given to the party through our leader after series of meetings between the leadership of Accord and Chief Tony Anenih in preparation for the 2015 general elections.
“The following issues were discussed at the meetings: the need to support the presidential candidate of the PDP since Accord had no presidential candidate; the need to ensure that peace was maintained to enhance peaceful movement during periods of campaign, elections and after the elections; and the need for the PDP to support Accord campaign effort.
“Accordingly, Chief Anenih released the sum of N100m for these purposes through our leader, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
“The money released was accordingly used for the purposes as stated above.”
Efforts made to get the reaction of Ladoja on Friday were not successful as the former governor did not answer calls made to his mobile telephone.
He also failed to respond to a text message sent to him.
A source told our correspondent that the ex-governor was out of the country.
A former National Security Adviser, Col. Sabo Dasuki (retd.), was reported to have disbursed various sums of money to the accounts of some PDP leaders with the aim of using the funds to mobilise support for Jonathan’s re-election.
Dasuki, who is currently undergoing trial, was alleged to have diverted $2.1bn meant for procurement of arms and ammunition that the armed forces would have used to fight Boko Haram insurgents.
Of the amount, N260m was allegedly traced to Anenih’s account.
But in a letter to the EFCC, Anenih had explained that the money was part of the refund of the money Jonathan instructed him to release to some political groups for mobilisation and post-election peace advocacy.
The former PDP BoT chairman, who explained that he was not a direct beneficiary of the money, stated in his letter to the EFCC that N100m was given to the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae; N100m to Ladoja and N63m to a group headed by elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai.
He said the N260m could not defray the total money estimated at over N440m that he eventually doled out from his pocket to other groups and individuals on the instructions of the former President.
Both Yakassai and Falae had already confirmed that they received N63m and N100m respectively from Anenih for the purposes specified.
Culled from Punch
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