BEVERLY HILLS, September 28, (THEWILL) – A media consultant, Mr. Olusegun Idowu, on Wednesday claimed that the campaign organisation of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan still owes his company N24m for the printing of posters for the ex-president ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
The managing director of Paste Poster Company Limited explained that the money was part of a sum of N54m poster pasting and consultancy jobs which his company did for the campaign organisation in the build-up to the last presidential poll.
Idowu made the claim while giving evidence before the Federal High Court in Lagos, where the then Director of Media and Publicity of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, is being prosecuted for an alleged fraud of N4.9bn.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Fani-Kayode alongside a former Minister of state for Finance, Nenadi Usman, one Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimensions Ltd.
They are standing trial on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Rilwan Aikawa on 17 counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering. They pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Idowu, who was the first witness called by the EFCC to prove its case, said his company was paid N30m cash in tranches of N6million and N24m for consultancy and printing of the ex-president’s campaign posters, while another N24m remained unpaid till date.
While being cross-examined by Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr Norrison Quakers SAN, Idowu told the court that his company got the poster printing job from the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation through referral by a member of the organisation, Aderemi Ajidahun.
The media consultant, whose company’s office is on Lagos Island, stated that one Oke related with his company on behalf of the campaign organisation.
He said his company received the cash payments of N24million and N6m from Oke.
When asked by Quakers whether he had any direct dealing with Fani-Kayode, Idowu said he never had any direct dealing with him.
The judge after entertaining arguments, adjourned till November 20, 21 and 22 for the continuation of trial.
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