on Wednesday, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)
issued a statement confirming they received N50
million from the administration of former
President Goodluck Jonathan, a revelation first
revealed in a statement by the former editor of ThisDay,
Nduka Obaigbena, to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) in December.
NGE President Garba Deen Muhammad
In the statement, the NGE notes that the organization
did indeed receive N50 million from the administration of
former President Goodluck Jonathan. However, they
claimed the funds were a donation given to the NGE at a
fundraising dinner in April 2014.
The dinner was intended to raise money for the
construction of a secretariat, the Editor’s Plaza.
According to the NGE N50 million was presented to them
by former Minister of Information and National
Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, and deposited in their
Zenith Bank Account.
The organization also attacked President Muhammadu
Buhari, insinuating that the recent attempts to drag the
NGE into Dasukigate are without merit and most likely
motivated by President Buhari’s desire for revenge for
earlier statements made by the NGE regarding the
president's war on corruption.
“It is regrettable that an earlier statement by the Guild
on the anti-corruption war of the government of
President Muhammadu Buhari may not be unconnected
with recent attempts to drag the Guild into a matter in
which it has no case whatsoever,” the statement noted.
In December, the EFCC interrogating Mr. Obaigbena for
questioning for his connection to the $2.1 billion
misappropriated by the former National Security Adviser
(NSA), Sambo Dasuki for the purposes of bankrolling the
PDP’s presidential campaign.
The NGE's statement can be found in its entirety below.
NGE Statement