Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti state, was allegedly given N1.219 billion in cash during the 2014 election, according to Musiliu Obanikoro, a former secretary of state for defense. This information was revealed on Wednesday.
According to MISMOB, Fayose and his firm, Spotless Investment Limited, are currently on trial before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged involvement in the N6.9 billion money laundering case.
A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Obanikoro testified before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, stating that he had received the funds from Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser (NSA).
I served as a minister during Jonathan’s presidency. It was planned that an election would be held in Ekiti State sometime in 2014. A few days prior to the election, Governor Fayose called me and wanted to know if I had gotten any messages from ONSA; I assured him I will get back to him later.
After that, I spoke with an NSA agent over the phone, and he informed me that an amount of N2.2 billion had been deposited into the Sylvan Mcnamara Ltd account. Mr. Agbele, the bank manager, received the N1.219 billion from me, and I then passed it on to Fayose. Contrary to what a Lagos-based news outlet said, I did not accept N19 million.
“The account was created to deal with the issue of Boko Haram in Lagos,” Obanikoro said when asked about his affiliation with Sylvan Mcnamara Ltd.
“The aircraft could not accommodate the funds, so we airlifted them in two tranches from Lagos.”
The case was deferred by Justice Dimgba to February 27, 2024, so the trial can continue then.