A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, has told the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, that the N2.2 billion budgeted for the election of former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, in 2014 came from the National Security Adviser’s account to Silver Maclamaran Nigeria Limited, a company under his control.

This is just as the court, on Wednesday, adjourned further hearing in the trial of Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, over an alleged N6.9 billion fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, on July 2, 2019, re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9 billion.

The defendants had first been arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

However, Obanikoro, when asked about his experience at the EFCC by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, at the resumed sitting on Wednesday, said: “I turned myself in at the EFCC.

“I came in from the United States of America, USA, and walked into the EFCC office.

“I was immediately criminalised and locked up for 21 days.

“Yes, a letter of complaint was written from the Office of the National Security Adviser. But I believe that it was written out of ignorance because after all the investigations, I was exonerated.”

During cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, Olakekan Ojo, SAN, on how N2.2 billion was budgeted for the 2014 Ekiti State governorship election of Fayose from the Office of the NSA, Obanikoro stated that the funds came from the NSA’s Security account to a company under his control (Silver Maclamaran Nigeria Limited).

He, however, distanced himself from the operations of Silver Macmalaran, the company whose account was used to warehouse the sum of N2.2 billion from the NSA’s impress account.

When asked what he knew about the fund-raising committee set up for the 2014 Ekiti State governorship election of Fayose, he said: “I was the chairman of the committee and a lot of funds were contributed even up to the national level of our party.”

He, however, mentioned the names of T.K. Aluko and Lateef Agbaje when asked if he could remember the name of any member of the fund-raising committee.

Obanikoro, who admitted being the owner of Silver Maclamaran, denied being a signatory to the company.

“Olalekan Olafare is signatory to the company’s account,” the former minister added.

The presiding judge, Justice Chukujekwu Aneke, therefore, adjourned the case to March 20 and 21, 2023, for continuation of trial.

The Star