Obanikoro Admits N2.3bn Handover to Gov Fayose

Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Defence has admitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he paid N2.3bn Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, during the governorship election run-up in 2014.

This admission was made during an interrogation in Abuja yesterday. Obanikoro told anti-graft commission operatives that he had personally handed over a certain amount of money to Fayose. The money had been converted from N60m to dollars at a time when the currency was N168 to the dollar.

A source revealed that Obanikoro told interrogators that the money was transferred to Fayose by Diamond Bank in a bullion van, on the instruction of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

Obanikoro reportedly told EFCC operatives that Agbele received the money in front of Lt. Adewale, and officials of Diamond Bank, at the Lagos airport. He claims to have called Fayose to for his consent to hand over the money to Agbele, and that Agbele also spoke on the mobile.

The source stated that Obanikoro, however, denied ownership of Sylvan Mcnamara, the company that received N4.685bn from the ONSA between April 4, 2014 and November 13, 2014.

According to the anti-graft agency Obanikoro’s sons, Babajide and Gbolahan, were directors of Sylvan Mcnamara when the money was paid into the account.

Obanikoro is still being detained by the EFCC and will continue to be interrogated today.