Controversy Trails Payment Of $6.2m To Foreign Election Observers

Nigerians have taken to their social media handles to react to the testimony of a  Deputy Director in charge of Branch Operations in the Central Bank of Nigeria, Onyeka Ogbu, who  told a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja that he was aware of a $6.2 million payment made to foreign election observers by former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele, is standing trial on an amended 20 charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, conferring undue advantage, and breach of trust among others preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He was accused of impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to illegally obtain a sum of $6.2m.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “Re: Presidential directive on foreign election observer missions” dated January 26, 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.

Ogbu, the prosecution witness,  who testified in the Federal High Court on Monday said that the request was made on January 8, 2023.

“On January 8, 2023, a request for payment of $6, 230, 000 was brought to my attention by the Banking Services department. Ours is to make payment, we don’t have the power to approve.

“Having gone through the documents and satisfied, I minuted on it and sent for processing and disbursement which was complied with.”

All documents were identified, but certain pages were absent. This led the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), to request a temporary halt for the issue of the missing pages to be addressed.

However, the defendant’s counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN) objected, adding that the prosecution is bound by the evidence presented in the documents.

He said adjournment is better to allow the prosecution to get all the certified true copies and also for the witness to be cross-examined. After listening to their submissions, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned till Tuesday for the continuation of trial.

This development elicited reactions from Nigerians on the X app.

Sir Ovi said

“So those observers when Dey sing during Election Day say the election was conducted fairly Yenyenyen were paid over 6m$$$ under your watch? All of una Weldon oh I greet u😏.”

Victor Wolemonwu said,

“Can a CBN governor approve money for international election observers without the president’s authorisation?🙄”

Lere Olayinka asked, “What about @MBuhari, under whose Emefiele worked?”

@blessingdbless said,

“This man should just come out and name those they both looted all these funds with. Then he can go scot free, because I know that is what normally ends their type..

/They pay small millions and they are free.”

Omon said,

“EFCC isn’t only bias but sectional in this report, about five persons are said to have signed the said documents: The President, the SGF,Director of Bank services and the Abuja controller,but yet Emefelle is the only culprit not the President or SGF. Tribal Bigots.”

@EzeAyoka asked,

“When are we having Buhari on the Witness box?

The document to pay in cash $6M has his signature.

You people are wasting taxpayers money and the court’s time.”

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