The trial of the former National Publicity Secretary
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief
Olisa Metuh continued Thursday at the Federal
High Court Abuja with the 5th Defence Witness,
Mr. Richard Ihediwa telling the court that Metuh
spent the N400 million released to him by former
President Goodluck Jonathan strictly on the
directive of the ex-president.



Ihediwa said Jonathan released the N400 million
to Metuh following a presentation Metuh made to
him alongside other groups on ways to douse the
tension in the country ahead of the 2015 general
elections as demanded by the ex-president.



He said the president was concerned about the
situation in the country including issues of
militancy and agitation for resource control in the
south south, kidnapping and agitation for self
determination in the south east, agitation for the
implementation of the report of the national
conference and self determination in the south
west as well as insurgency and religious clashes
in the northern states and wanted a workable
intervention ahead of the elections.



The witness said in accepting Metuh’s
presentation, the former President however
directed that other groups that made presentation
should collapse into that of Metuh for the
implementation of some components in their
presentation, which he approved. He said the
president thereupon requested Metuh to give him
a corporate account number to channel the fund
to him and that the other groups should get the
funds for their components through Metuh.


The witness said some days later the former
President called Metuh on phone to inform him
that he has made available the money to him to
commence the assignment. The former president
remained in touch with Metuh.


He said since the assignment has nothing to do
with the PDP but for the presidency, the team had
to acquire a center in Asokoro for its operations.


He said the center which was acquired through
Chief Tony Anenih at the cost of N21 million was
fully equipped with state of the art gadgets,
communication equipment, generator set, a
library, a research center, functional offices, pool
vehicles and regular staff and security, and was
used by the team through out the duration of the
project.


The witness told the court that the team
thereafter hired professionals including two
university professors, an economist, a security
expert and some media experts who worked in the
center. He said the center had very expensive
gadgets that enabled the team monitor the
situation across the country to make informed
decisions for its intervention.



Ihediwa further told the court that following the
approval of the former President, Metuh mobilized
the lead consultant, Yomi Badejo of CMC Connect
who handled the driving of advocacy materials in
the print and electronic media, through which the
team assured Nigerians of the unity of the nation
and the capacity of the military in the fight
against insurgency. He said the advocacy was
necessary given the fears by many that the 2015
election would be marred by violence and that the
nation would disintegrate by 2015.


The witness who was being led in evidence by
Defence Counsel, Emeka Etiaba SAN further told
the court that for effectiveness, the team brought
on board zonal and states coordinators. He said
the coordinators were trained in Ibeto Hotel,
Abuja after which they were deployed to their
respective zones and states.


He further told the court that in line with the
directive of the former President that Metuh
should incorporate some important components
from the presentation of the other teams, some
aides of the President were detailed by the ex-
president to coordinate some groups and funds
for those groups were channeled through them.


Asked who were the said aides of the former
President, the witness said they were many but
that he could remember, the former Special
Adviser to the President on Strategy,
Documentation and Research, late Oronto Douglas
as well as a former aide to the Vice President,
Mallam Abba Dabo.



While he stated that the sum of N25 million was
routed through Mallam Abba Dabo to coordinate
some of the groups, he said he was not sure of
how much was routed through Douglas but
averred that monies were routed through aides of
the president to coordinate several groups in line
with the directives of the former President.
The case was adjourned to November 15 for
continuation of trial.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/how-metuh-spent-n400m-strictly-on-jonathans-directives-witness/

Mumu lies!

choiii