Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has confirmed collecting N100m from the ex-Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Tony Anenih, to support the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan and that he did not know that the money is from the $2.1 billion allocated for the purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram.
Chief Olu Falae stated that the money was purely an inter-party affair between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, which he is the National Chairman. He further stressed that the money was given to the SDP to campaign for the PDP in the 2015 presidential election, that both parties prior to the 2015 general elections entered into working agreement.
“In the build up to the presidential election, the PDP approached the SDP which I chaired. The then ruling party solicited for our support in order for President Goodluck Jonathan to win the March 28 presidential election”.
“Anenih related with me as the chairman of the PDP BoT and I did same as the SDP National Chairman. He wrote to me as PDP BoT chairman and I wrote back as SDP National Chairman stating conditions/terms for the alliance”.
“It is true that N100 million was given to my party to endorse and work for the Jonathan’s candidature in the 2015 election. We used the money for that purpose and we effectively campaigned for the PDP since we did not have presidential candidate in the election. The money was not for me”.
“Thank God I’m a retired civil servant. I have all the documents to prove all that transpired between the two parties.”
“With all the money PDP has and having spent 16 years in power, how would I know that the money was from the arms deal? No reference was made to the arms deal. So, they should not bring me into the arms issue. The relationship was purely interparty affairs.”
Tony Anenih, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu had mentioned thatOlu Falae and some former governors were given N100 million each in the build up to the 2015 presidential election.
The letter also stated that Tony Anenih gave another group from Katsina State N35 million, while second republic Presidential Adviser on National Assembly, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, got N63 million. Tony Anenih had stated that the money was transferred to him on the instruction of former President, Goodluck Jonathan for specific assignments.
