Alleged slush funds accounts belong to my late mum - Patience Jonathan

 Mrs. Patience Jonathan's counsel claims that two of the accounts frozen by EFCC  belonged to her late mother, Madam Charity Fyneface Oba.

The counsel, Mr. Charles Ogboli,  also admitted that only three of the five accounts in dispute could be traced to the ex-First Lady and her mum.The ex-First Lady’s counsel spoke on the Channels Television discussion programme, Sunrise as monitored by The Nation.

Ogboli is however the third lawyer in three weeks to speak on behalf of Mrs. Jonathan.

He said: 

 “That is not true. The First Lady did not hold five accounts. They are three accounts. The First Lady was  the signatory of one account and the mother was a signatory to the other two accounts.
“These accounts were not on a company’s name; it is on a personal data name of the First Lady. If you check, the BVN showed clearly on a personal name.
“And if you go through the BVN, it shows that it is her personal account; it is not connected with the companies facing trial.
“The First Lady was never privy to the companies standing trial. The money that is in the account ($5 million) should be left to the First Lady.”

Responding to a question, Ogboli added:

 “I am explaining on behalf of the First Lady that this is what transpired.”

He maintained that the former  First Lady had protested between 2013 and 2014 against the  use of unknown companies to open accounts for her by the former Senior Special Assistant (Domestic / Household and Social Events to the former President), Dr. Dudafa Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel.

He said: “What I am trying to say is that the domestic servant, Dudafa, who was asked to open accounts, went ahead to use a company’s  account which the First Lady discovered and said I am not part of this.
“She said ‘I am not a director of this company, neither am I a shareholder. I did not present any certificate of incorporation, I didn’t ask them to open any  account using a company or companies’. The discovery was made between 2013 and 2014 and immediately she kicked against it.“ So, you don’t link her with the company that she does not know anything about.”

But there were indications yesterday that some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a meeting on Thursday, where they vowed to back the former First Lady in her suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the freezing of about $19.8 million in her accounts.

As at press time, some PDP Senators had resolved to rally round Mrs. Jonathan in her battle with the EFCC.