Accord Party confirms ex-governor received N100m from Anenih

dimeji akinloye

January 8, 2016 9:43 PM

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission had traced N260million to Anenih's account from Dasuki

Rashidi Ladoja

Accord Party, led by Senator Rashidi Ladoja, a former Governor of Oyo State, has confirmed that it received the sum of N100million from former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, ahead of the 2015 Presidential election.

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had traced N260million to Anenih's account from the Office of the National Security Adviser, headed by Col. Sambo Dasuki - the funds which is believed to be from the $2.1b meant for the procurement of arms.

Reports had however said, Ladoja was also a beneficiary of the arms deal scam.

According to a statement by the National Secretary of Accord, Mr. Nureni Adisa, the N100million Ladoja got from Anenih was for the party to mobilise support for Goodluck Jonathan's re-election - given that Accord did not field a Presidential candidate for the election.

READ: Anenih - PDP chieftain accused of N260M fraud has heart problems

The statement titled; “Release of One Hundred Million by Chief Tony Anenih” read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper report that the sum of N100m was released to the Accord leader, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja by Chief Tony Anenih, the (former) Chairman BoT of the PDP.

“We confirm that the sum of N100m was given to the party through our leader after series of meetings between the leadership of Accord and Chief Tony Anenih in preparation for the 2015 general elections.

Part of the issues discussed at the meeting, the statement said, was how to support the presidential candidate of the PDP, which was Jonathan, the need to ensure that peace is maintained to enhance peaceful movement during periods of campaign, elections and after the elections and the need for the PDP to support Accord’s campaign effort.

It added: “Accordingly, the PDP (former) BoT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih released the sum of N100m for these purposes through our leader, Sen. Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.

“The money released was accordingly used for the purposes as stated above.”

However, Anenih, in his letter to the EFCC, explained that the money was a part refund of the money Jonathan instructed him to release to some political groups for mobilisation and post-election peace advocacy.

He said N100m was given to the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae; N100m to Ladoja and N63m to a group headed by elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai - the funds which all three have confirmed they collected.

dimeji akinloye