BEVERLY HILLS, October 26, (THEWILL) – Richard Ihediwa, a witness, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that Olisa Metuh, solely funded the publicity activities of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election campaign.
Metuh, a former National Publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is being tried for allegedly laundering N400 million.
NAN reports that Ihediwa, who was Metuh’s personal assistant on media, disclosed this while being led in evidence by Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the defence counsel.
He said it came to a point that the situation room was not funded by the party, and Metuh decided to pick up the burden and funded the activities of the publicity team from his own pocket.
Ihediwa revealed that the publicity arm of the campaign organisation had troubles with finances that they could no longer pay companies that ran adverts for them.
“The nature of our schedule was so tight that I literally broke down because of pressure of work. I couldn’t cope because I was alone,” Ihediwa said.
“I told Metuh I would not be able to continue except he hired other professionals.
“He reminded me that funding was an issue in the party and said he had made a case to the national working committee to no avail.
“He pleaded that I should continue but I said I couldn’t under such conditions.”
“He went ahead to buy laptops, cameras, video cameras and was the one paying the monthly allowances of the five new media aides he engaged.
“As I speak, the party has not refunded him that money.”
He told the court that when he sought to know why his boss was using his personal funds for the party, he explained that he did not want to fail as a publicity secretary.
Okon Abang, the trial judge, adjourned the case till October 31 for continuation of trial.
Story by Oputah David
