Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro on Monday morning touched down in Nigeria from the United States, enroute London Heathrow, reports SIGNAL.
Obanikoro returned to the country today to respond to some of the allegations leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana had initially stayed away from Nigeria because no formal invitation was extended to him by the anti-graft Commission.
Following the receipt of a formal invitation, Obanikoro’s lawyers promised the Commission he would honour it, more so as that he has nothing to hide.
More importantly was an email sent to him by the US Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton’s campaign group, following the boasting by the Republican Candidate, Donald Trump that he would jail her if he became president.
In the letter to Obanikoro, a supporter of the Democratic party, Clinton, wrote: “Muhammed, last night, Donald Trump said that if he were elected president, he’d target Hillary and said she would be in jail if he were in charge.
“Threatening to jail political opponents isn’t what we do in America, Muhammed. Those are the words of totalitarianism.”
Moved by the words of Clinton and her team, the former Senator and one-time Minister of State for Foreign Affairs decided to return to the country to clear the mess once and for all.
He had initially vowed not to return to the country alleging persecution by the government as a means to discredit him.
It is not immediately clear when he planned to submit himself to the EFCC, but Demola Olarewaju, an associate of the politician confirmed his arrival.
Mr. Olarewaju said Mr. Obanikoro had moved to Abuja from Lagos and could visit the EFCC headquarters on Monday.
Obanikoro would be led to the Commission by his two lawyers, Mr. Lawal Pedro and Mr. James Onoja, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).
