Falae links Jonathan to N100m election funds scam…tenders email to EFCC as evidence

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, has submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission an email correspondence between him and a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.

Falae tendered the email as an evidence in the probe linking him to N100m election funds

It was learnt that Anenih, in the email, mentioned that he was acting on the instruction of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

A source at the EFCC told Punch’s correspondent that in the email dated March 2015, Anenih, who played a supervisory role in the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, informed Falae that N100m had been approved by Jonathan and would be handed over to him (Falae).

A source at the EFCC said, “In the email, Anenih told Chief Falae, who is the Chairman of the SDP that N100m had been approved by President Jonathan as part of the agreement between the PDP and the SDP ahead of the presidential election.

“He further urged Falae to provide an account which the money would be paid into.”

The N100m, which was given to Falae by Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

It was eventually paid into the account of Marreco Limited, where Falae is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2015.

When contacted on the telephone, a spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, confirmed that 78-year-old Falae had submitted all correspondence between Falae and the PDP.

He said, “We had a letter of agreement between the PDP and the SDP regarding cooperation between the two parties for the election. There was an email from Anenih stating that Mr. President (Jonathan) told him to transfer the money to that effect.

“We have submitted everything to the EFCC, but the EFCC has not deemed it fit to invite Anenih which shows that it is people within the All Progressives Congress that are just trying to rubbish the image of Chief Falae, who has served meritoriously as a permanent secretary, a SGF and a finance minister.”

Mohammed said the PDP still owed the SDP about N70m and it was unrealistic of the EFCC to ask Falae to return the N100m.

He said Falae could not have known that the money emanated from the ONSA and thus could not be held liable.

The commission had finalised plans to charge the ex-SGF with conspiracy to indirectly retain the sum of N100m which he ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an “unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

-Punch