Update | Falae links Jonathan to election funds scam... tenders evidence to EFCC

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, has submitted to EFCC an email correspondence between him and a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.

Falae tendered the email as an evidence in the probe linking him to N100million election funds

It was gathered that Anenih, in the email, mentioned that he was acting on the instruction of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

A source at EFCC told Punch that in the email dated March 2015, Anenih, who played a supervisory role in the Goodluck Campaign Organisation, informed Falae that N100m had been approved by Jonathan and would be handed over to him (Falae).

A source at the EFCC said, “In the email, Anenih told Chief Falae, who is the Chairman of the SDP that N100m had been approved by President Jonathan as part of the agreement between the PDP and the SDP ahead of the presidential election.

“He further urged Falae to provide an account which the money would be paid into.”

The N100m, which was given to Falae by Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

It was eventually paid into the account of Marreco Limited, where Falae is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s account on March 25, 2015.

When contacted, a spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, confirmed that 78-year-old Falae had submitted all correspondence between Falae and the PDP.

He said, “We had a letter of agreement between the PDP and the SDP regarding cooperation between the two parties for the election. There was an email from Anenih stating that Mr. President (Jonathan) told him to transfer the money to that effect.

“We have submitted everything to the EFCC, but the EFCC has not deemed it fit to invite Anenih which shows that it is people within the All Progressives Congress that are just trying to rubbish the image of Chief Falae, who has served meritoriously as a permanent secretary, a SGF and a finance minister.”

Mohammed said in fact the PDP still owed the SDP about N70m, election expenses.

However, EFCC had finalised plans to charge Falae with conspiracy to indirectly retain N100m, the sum he ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an “unlawful act to wit: stealing.”