Obanikoro’s Aide shares How Funds Were Moved for Fayose’s Election

An aide to former Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro, Lt. Commander A.O Adewale has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) how the minister moved funds to Ekiti State for the June 21, 2014, governorship election.

Recall that the  EFCC is investigating the N1.299billion cash taken to Governor Ayodele Fayose by Obanikoro in a chartered flight before the election.

The commission claimed the cash was part of the N4.745 billion paid into Obanikoro’s company, Sylva Mcnamara, by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

The Nation reports that Adewale told investigators how they started the Ekiti trip from Obanikoro’s Park View, Ikoyi home on June 16, 2014.

He said: “I was posted as the Flag Lieutenant to the Hon. Minister of State for Defence from March 2014 to September 2014. Thereafter I proceeded to Defence Intelligence School for my basic French Language course from December 14 to June 2015.

“As at when I was the Flag Lieutenant to the Minister of State for Defence, my schedule of duties was being in charge of  Very Important Personalities (VIP)  protection, organisation and administration of the escorts and also coordination of convoys for movement, organisation and administration of the escorts’ means.

“I am responsible to all the security aides attached to the minister. Security aides include the personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force. I detail them on VIP protection.

“During my tour of duty as the Flag. Lieutenant to the Minister of State for Defence, I was reporting to the Principal Staff Office, (PSO), Navy Capt. O.O. Fadeyi. During my period as the Flag Lieutenant to the Hon. Minister of State Defence, the then minister was Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

”On assumption of duty as the Flag Lieutenant,  I embarked on several trips with the Minister to several military and civil parastatals,  some of which included several visits to Lagos, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Military Pension Board, Air Force Base in Enugu, also visits to Ekiti State, Port Harcout, Bayelsa and the commissioning of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Okpabana in the United States.

“During my tour of duty, I visited Ekiti twice with the minister. The first was the presidential rally held in Ekiti and the second trip was sometimes in June 2014.

“The movement to Ekiti was by air through a chartered aircraft. It is not part of my duties to initiate movement for the minister.  Every time, the minister informed me verbally of our intended movement, I complied.”

Adewale also disclosed that he prepared the manifest of passengers on board the chartered flight.

“A Gyro Air Limited passenger manifest dated  June 16, 2014 with the departure DN MM with route DN AKR and the following passenger details, (1) the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (2) Dr. Tunde Oshinowo and Lt. Commander A.O. Adewale was shown to me.

“On  June 16, 2014,  we left the house of the former minister at Park View, Lagos to the airport. It is pertinent to state that I did not arrange or pay for the chartered flight to Ekiti. I was given the number of Mr. Jide West by the minister for liaison of timing of takeoff.

”We got to the airport in the morning of June 16, 2014. On arrival via road from Park View at the airport, the minister’s son, Mr. Gbolahan was at the airport.

”A private discussion held between father and son. The minister then informed me of the delay in the movement to Akure. About an hour later, a bullion van pulled into the hangar where the chartered aircraft was parked. Shortly after, Mr. Gbolahan ensured that some bags were offloaded into the plane.

”On arrival at the airport, the minister had private discussions with some of his political friends who received him at the airport in Akure. I was not privy to the discussions.

“However, a bullion van was driven down to the tarmac where the plane was parked. The bags were offloaded into the bullion van and the minister directed that we should escort the van to a particular Zenith Bank branch in Akure. I can recall the exact branch.

“On arrival at the bank, the bags were offloaded by the bank staff under the supervision of a particular civilian who was in company of the minister at the Akure airport.  I don’t know the man personally but with facial recognition, I can identify the man.

“After offloading the bags and the civilian took custody, the escorts thereafter proceeded to meet the minister.”