A defence witness in the ongoing
trial of former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, Olisa Metuh, Richard Ihediwa, on Thursday said Metuh gave a former
Chairman of the party, Chief Tony Anenih N21m to acquire a property on the
orders of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Testifying before a High Court in
Abuja, Ihediwa claimed that Jonathan directed Metuh on how to disburse N400m he
got from the party.
Led in evidence by Metuh’s
lawyer, Emeka Etiaba, SAN, Ihediwa explained that the property was acquired for
use by the party as its media intervention centre.
Stressing that the said property
located in Asokoro, Abuja, did not belong to Anenih, Ihediwa said the former
PDP Chairman only assisted in securing it for the use of PDP’s media team,
headed by Metuh.
He said, “The amount covered the
cost of hiring the structure, utility vehicles as well as security gadgets at
the centre.’’
Ihediwa said the various sums
were paid to some groups coordinated by some government functionaries,
including late Oronto Douglas and Mallam Abbah Dabo, adding that he was not
very certain about the amount released to the late Douglas.
He, however, revealed that N25
million was released to Dabo as mobilization for advocacy groups, in line with
Jonathan’s directive.
Ihediwa said the former president
also approved different amounts for some other groups and Metuh disbursed the
funds to them accordingly.
The witness, had last week told
the court that Metuh, solely funded the party’s publicity activities during
Jonathan’s re-election campaign.
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