How Diezani N700m bribe was shared – Ex-Edo SSG

More facts emerged on Thursday on how the N700m that was allegedly collected by a former deputy governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Imasuen, and a former Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from the immediate past Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was shared.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had arrested Imasuen and Ize-Iyamu, who was former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign coordinator in Edo, over their role in the collection and disbursement of the said amount from the $115m (N29bn) allegedly doled out from the Diezani funds.

The agency had also quizzed them for signing for the collection of the money at a branch of Fidelity Bank in Benin before it was moved to the house of a Peoples Democratic Party leader in the state.

Ize-Iyamu, who was released by the Port Harcourt zonal office of the EFCC on Wednesday, told journalists at a press briefing in Benin that the N700m, which was sent to the state, was distributed among the 18 local government areas of the state, an indication that the anti-graft agency might be on the lookout for other Edo PDP leaders.

The PDP governorship aspirant also denied taking the money to his own residence, adding that the money was shared in the home of the party leader, whose named he did not mention.

“I was the Coordinator of President Goodluck (Jonathan)’s campaign and I was privy to a lot of transactions that took place.

“The EFCC wanted to know what happened to the N700m that was sent to Edo State. Their records showed that three of us went to the bank to sign for the money. We confirmed that we went to the bank, based on directives.

“At the bank, after they confirmed our identifications, they brought out a piece of paper that we should sign. There was no way we could move that kind of money. So, they used their bullion van to take the money to our leader’s house.”

The former SSG, who said that the state chapter of the PDP had records of how the N700m originated and was shared, stated that the EFCC invitation was a nationwide exercise.

Ize-Iyamu said, “The money was shared to the 18 local governments because it was meant for the elections. Our leader even added to the money from his house because the money was not enough.

“I told them I did not take any of the money. Edo PDP has records of how the money came and how it was shared and I provided the names to the EFCC.”

But Imasuen denied having any knowledge on how the money was shared.

He also dismissed reports that he was detained by the EFCC over the matter.

The former deputy governor explained that he was called by the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, that the campaign funds had arrived and that Ize-Iyamu was at the bank.