More troubles for Emefiele as ex-SGF tells court Buhari didn’t approve $6.2m for election observers

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, on Tuesday, appeared at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, and testified in the ongoing trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele is on trial before Justice Muazu for a total of twenty-count modified accusations that include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, corrupt advantages, and gaining $6,230,000 by false pretenses.

He was charged with using a phony SGF identity to obtain $6.2 million illegally.

In his appearance as Prosecution Witness 2, Mustapha stated that, although having served for five years and seven months, he was unaware of the transaction until the end of May 2023. He further stated that the paper under dispute did not originate from the office of the then-President Muhammadu Buhari.

A First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Onyeka Ogbu, described on Monday how the former governor of CBN authorized the payment of $6,230,000 in cash for foreign election observers in the general election of 2023.

Ogbu, the Deputy Director of Branch Operations at the apex bank, evaluated and approved the $6.2 million payment request for release.

The former SGF said in court on Tuesday that he had never heard of a “Special Appropriation Provision” throughout his whole tenure in office.

The two terms known to him are “Appropriation” and “Supplementary”.

Mustapha also said in all the correspondences he ever received from former President Buhari, he never concluded with “Please accept with my highest regard,” saying the signature was a failed attempt at reproducing Buhari’s signature.

Mustapha stated that the Federal Government is not involved in compensating foreign election observers. He emphasized that decisions made by the Federal Executive Council are not conveyed through letters.