ABUJA — The embattled National Publicity Secretary of
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh,
yesterday, opened his defence to the seven-count charge
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
preferred against him.
In a bid to establish his innocence, Metuh, who is facing
trial alongside his company, Destra Investment Limited,
over alleged N400 million fraud, produced his first witness
to testify before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The witness, DW-1, Mr. Ike Abonyi, who identified himself
as a journalist and Media Consultant to the PDP, narrated
before the court, events that led to the alleged transfer of
N400 million into Metuh’s company account, prior to the
2015 presidential election.
Abonyi, who said he was part of the media team engaged
to help and “repackage the battered image of the PDP,” told
the court that he attended the meeting where former
President Goodluck Jonathan directed Metuh to submit his
corporate account for money to be “dropped” into it to
enhance campaign activities of the party.
Led in evidence by Metuh’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu,
SAN, the witness said ex-President Jonathan gave the
directive after he watched a presentation that was made by
a team of media experts constituted by Metuh to launder
his image before the general election.
He said the team was headed by the Managing Director of a
public relations firm, CNC Connect, Mr. Yomi Badejo.
Abonyi told the court that Jonathan was moved to act after
the team, during its presentation, informed him that his
public image was in bad shape.
He said the candid appraisal of the image of the ex-
President by his team did not go down well with the then
media aide to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, who he said
took it as an indictment on his office.
Party members present
According to the witness, some senior members of the
party, who were present at the meeting when Jonathan
demanded the account number, included the then Vice
President Namadi Sambo, then Senate President David
Mark and former National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji
Adamu Muazu.
Others were former Governors of Cross River and
Anambra States, Liyel Imoke and Peter Obi, respectively, as
well as media aides to the President, Dr. Abati and Chief
Doyin Okupe.
The witness' testimony
The witness said: “The team, anchored by CNC Connect,
preferred some strategies and after rehearsals and testing,
we all agreed that we have a good product to present and
Chief Metuh said he would wait for clearance from the
Presidential Villa for a date for the presentation.
“One afternoon, he told me that he just received a call
from the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu
Muazu, that the President would be ready for the
presentation that night.
“All the other members of the team were resident in Abuja
except the company, CNC connect, which was based in
Lagos.
“He called MD of the firm to take next available flight for
the presentation. Because he was already expecting the
appointment, Yomi took the next available flight and came
in around 6pm.
“Because he was coming from Lagos, other members of
the team went with one vehicle while Metuh carried
Badejo.
“At the villa, only Metuh’s car was allowed to go in, but they
waited for us to be cleared by the security.
“After then, we were ushered to a waiting room. Metuh left
us and entered the inner room. Fifteen minutes later, he
came and called us and we entered inside a very large
parlour with the President seated, the Vice President,
Senate President, Chairman of the party, then governor of
Cross River, Imoke, then governor of Anambra State, Obi
and some media aides to the President, Dr. Ruben Abati
and Doyin Okupe.
The presentation
“We sat down, after a while, the President said ‘Olisa where
are your men?’ and he called us up and the MD of CNC
Connect was the first to speak for the team and we went
there with a projector and demonstrated the strategies
without a microphone.
“After the presentation, the President requested for
comments from other members of the team. After our
comment, he said jokingly that we were too hard on him.
“But we made it clear that his image was in bad shape and
that he himself was not helping the matter with the way he
was acting.
Abati reacts
“At a point Abati, who saw our presentation as an
indictment on him, told the President that the situation
was not as bad as we tried to portray it. But the President
overruled him.
“After the presentation as well as that of others, including
ones from Abati and his team, Okupe and his team and
other professionals brought in by politicians, the President
asked for comments. Those with him said they were
impressed with what we did.
“I recall vividly, comments by former governor of
Anambra, who told the President that if what we presented
is achievable, that we should be mobilised before the
President starts his campaign.
“He said if not, it will be difficult to win the election because
of public perception at that time.
“The President then said since it appeared consensual, that
Metuh and his team did a better job, he would advise that
all the others collapse into the team, but he would want the
consultant to provide the direction."
While being cross-examined by EFCC lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus
Tahir, the witness said he was not aware if the money was
released to Metuh by the former NSA, Dasuki.
Meantime, trial Justice Okon Abang, yesterday, fixed April
20 for counsel to Metuh’s firm, Chief Tochukwu
Onwugbufo, SAN, to cross-examine the witness.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/alleged-n400m-fraud-jonathan-asked-metuh-submit-companys-account-witness/

All we hear is PDP's campaign funds. What about APC? How did they get their campaign funds?

Witch-hunting continues.

seen