The Managing Director of a public relations company, CMC Connect, , Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that he received 77.5 million naira from the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh to sponsor media campaigns for the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In what looked like an indication of how Metuh, spent some of the N400 million he received from the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, Badejo-Okusanya told the court that his company handled media consultancy jobs for the PDP in the run up to the 2015 general elections.
Testifying as prosecution witness, PW-5, Badejo-Okusanya said that the N77.5 million was paid to CMC Connect through the bank account of Metuh’s company, Destra Investment Limited.
Explaining that the money paid the agency was deployed to ‘launder the image’ of then President Jonathan to the electorate, the witness told the court that CMC Connect used the bulk of it to pay for advertorials in four television stations.
The witness tendered vouchers addressed to Destra Investment Limited for payment by CMC Connect to African Independent Television, AIT; Nigerian TelevisionAuthority, NTA; Channels TV; and Silverbird Television, STV as evidence.
He further told the court that before his firm was hired, Metuh helped him to secure audience with then President Jonathan, who gave his approval after listening to his presentation.
His words:
“When Metuh became National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, I met with him, and he said he liked the work we did for the party in the past, but unfortunately that the party did not have money to pay us to continue with the work.
“He promised to compensate us whenever an opportunity arose. This was in 2012. Early November 2014, I got a call from him and he asked me where I was. I told him I was in Lagos. He said he wanted me to come to Abuja to attend a meeting.
“When I arrived in Abuja and met him at his house, he drove me to the Presidential Villa where we met a meeting in progress. At the meeting was former President Goodluck Jonathan; his Deputy, Namadi Sambo; former PDP chairman, Adamu Mu’azu; former Senate President, David Mark; Reuben Abati, Alkali Rufai and Doyin Okupe.
“Although, the meeting was in progress, I was able to pick that it had to do with how to win the 2015presidential election.
“In the course of the meeting, Metuh introduced me as the communication consultant that worked for the party before. He then asked me to speak. I proceeded to speak what I considered very frankly with the President.
“I felt it was very important to let him know the critical things he had to do to get the nation right. He asked me a couple of questions himself, and I specifically remember telling him that there was a disconnect between his government and the people.
“He took everything in good faith and asked us to go. The next evening, Metuh called me and said that it seemed like I made an impression on the President. He asked me to coordinate the media campaign plan for the PDP presidential election.
“So, we set about the work with a plan. I was meeting Metuh severally on the ideas we had on how we could position the party in the minds of Nigerians
“We got the first payment from him on December 1, 2014 which was N7.5 million, a cheque he issued in my name and I transferred the money to my company’s account. This cheque was from Destra Investment Limited.
“On December 15, 2015, he did a transfer from Destra Investment Limited of N70 million to our company. By middle of December we had started the work.
“The first batch of work we did was to get Nigerians to appreciate the role of the military in the fight against Boko Haram. We also made advert placements in newspapers, radio and television."
The witness also tendered a bundle of newspaper publications as evidence.
The case was adjourned till Thursday next week for continuation of hearing.
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