SAN FRANCISCO, February 04, (THEWILL) – Erstwhile Special Adviser to then Vice President, Namadi Sambo on Political Matters, Abba Dabo, has told the Federal High Court, Abuja how spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, gave him N25m to fight negative criticisms against the Goodluck Jonathan administration in the traditional and in the social media.
Dabo, who is the seventh witness to testify against Metuh who is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering, explained that he returned the money to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, when he realized it was part of funds meant for arms purchase allegedly diverted for other purposes by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
According to him; “On December 16, 2014, Metuh paid N25m through Destra Investment Limited account into my personal account for purposes of publicity for the PDP.
“When it became obvious that former President Goodluck Jonathan will run for office, government officials and party leaders started to meet to review the achievements of the government and prepare for the elections.”
“In the course of those meetings, a lot of concern was shown in the opposition’s total control of the media. The PDP was getting negative publicity, and ministers were told to speak more to the press to enhance the image of the government.”
“On my part, we set up a media support group and registered it as ‘Media Support System’ to do media work for the party. We commissioned writers to write and be paid to promote the government.”
“We called it rapid response team, which was successful. It was its success that led to more meetings with Metuh.”
“Social media was becoming more stringent in the criticism of the PDP. Also, Hausa radio stations were vicious in the attack of the government and the party. Chief Metuh thought I could assist in mitigating this; that was why he gave me the N25m five days after the presidential nomination convention.”
“With that money, we set up a team of facilitators and young IT enthusiasts to run a website called, ‘What’s up Naija’ but we could not register it because the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) wanted it to be ‘What’s up Nigeria.’
“Because the money was linked to the controversial arms deal, I decided to return it. On my own accord, I decided the best way out of this rigmarole was to pay back the money. I paid it back to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.”
Dabo is a former editor of the Sunday New Nigeria, Kaduna, Gaskiya Tefi-Kwabo, the Hausa version. He was also a onetime Chief Press Secretary to former President Shehu Shagari.
