Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s detained ex-Aide-de-Camp (ADC) Col. Ojogbane Adegbe has passed the buck on the N10billion gift for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates.
He has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ask Dr. Jonathan’s former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa to account for the cash, a source said yesterday.
The ADC said when the suitcases containing the cash were brought as messages for the President, he merely handed them over to Dudafa.
He said military law forbids him from opening any message meant for the President, unless otherwise directed.
Also, one of the Army officers being questioned over the $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal, Col. N. Ashinze , the former Special Military Assistant to the ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), is stranded as he could not resume in his new posting as the nation’s Military Attache to the Nigerian Embassy in Germany.
Although Col. Ashinze has been released from EFCC custody and restricted to the Officers Mess, there was anxiety yesterday that he might be dropped from the foreign mission.
Also yesterday, it was learnt that the embattled ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has been linked with the ongoing probe of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Air Chief Marshal Badeh was moved to Lagos last week as part of the investigation of NIMASA.
The EFCC is believed to be tidying up some loose ends in its investigation of military officers suspected to have been involved in the $2.1b phoney arms deals.
The N10billion withdrawn from the oil block account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for PDP delegates to its nomination convention has been a knotty issue because it was based on the instruction of the former President, according to a source close to the investigation.
The source said: “The ADC has spoken with investigators. He said when the suit cases containing the N10billion were brought as messages for the ex-President, he did not open them but he handed over the items to SA Domestic Affairs.
“He said as ADC, the military law forbids him from opening any message meant for the President, unless directed by the C-I-C.
“So, it is only the SA Domestic Affairs, who has sneaked out of the country, who will need to provide the list of beneficiaries. This is the status of the case.
“If Dudafa does not show up, we may declare him wanted in connection with the N10billion cash or seek the court’s permission to attach his property.
“We are exploring mutual legal assistance with some countries to fish out Dudafa wherever he is hiding abroad.”
Col. Dasuki said he handed over the N10billion given to the delegates to Dudafa and the ADC.
The ex-NSA opened up in his Statement of Witness/Accused Person which has been filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT)
He said: “That I am aware in November, I cannot remember the exact date. My office requested the CBN to exchange N10billion from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN.
“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. Dudafa(SSAP Household) and ADC(C-I-C) for distribution on the instruction of the President.”
On Col. Ashinze, a source said: “So far, nothing has been found against the said officer or else EFCC would still be keeping him.
“He is stranded at the Officers Mess. We don’t know whether or not the EFCC will use him as a witness.”
On Air Chief Marshal Badeh, the source said: “We moved him to Lagos in connection with the ongoing probe of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) during the tenure of the former Director- General, Dr. Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi.
“You know that a High Court has ordered the arrest and seizure of assets of a former Niger Delta Militant, Government Tompolo. We are already searching for the suspect.
“The outcome of the investigation in Lagos will determine whether or not Chief Marshal Badeh will be part of the trial of Akpobolokemi and Tompolo.”
