Yet another twist has occurred in the alleged slush accounts traced to former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
According to her counsels, two of the accounts among the 5 in dispute belong to Dame’s late mother, Madam Charity Fyneface Oba.Mama’s Peace’s counsel, Mr. Charles Ogboli, also admitted that only three of the five accounts in dispute could be traced to the ex-First Lady and her mum.
At press time, it was gathered that Mrs. Jonathan was in Abuja where she was strategising on how to win her case.
The ex-First Lady’s counsel spoke on the Channels Television discussion programme, Sunrise and said:
“That is not true. The First Lady did not hold five accounts. They are three accounts. The First Lady was the signatory of one account and the mother was a signatory to the other two accounts.
“These accounts were not on a company’s name; it is on a personal data name of the First Lady. If you check, the BVN showed clearly on a personal name.
“And if you go through the BVN, it shows that it is her personal account; it is not connected with the companies facing trial.
“The First Lady was never privy to the companies standing trial. The money that is in the account ($5 million) should be left to the First Lady.”
Responding to a question, Ogboli added:
“I am explaining on behalf of the First Lady that this is what transpired.”
He maintained that the former First Lady had protested between 2013 and 2014 against the use of unknown companies to open accounts for her by the former Senior Special Assistant (Domestic / Household and Social Events to the former President), Dr. Dudafa Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel.
He said:
“What I am trying to say is that the domestic servant, Dudafa, who was asked to open accounts, went ahead to use a company’s account which the First Lady discovered and said I am not part of this.
“She said ‘I am not a director of this company, neither am I a shareholder. I did not present any certificate of incorporation, I didn’t ask them to open any account using a company or companies’. The discovery was made between 2013 and 2014 and immediately she kicked against it.“ So, you don’t link her with the company that she does not know anything about.”
There were also indications yesterday that some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a meeting on Thursday, where they vowed to back the former First Lady in her suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the freezing of about $19.8 million in her accounts.
A source told TheNation:
“Some PDP Senators have been meeting on a daily basis on how to give support to Mrs. Jonathan. They even met on Thursday and the battle will involve a bit of propaganda too.
“At the appropriate time, we will reveal the identities of the affected senators based on intelligence report. The corrupt will always protect their own.
“Some of these senators are even the ones bankrolling a part of this battle between the former First Lady and the EFCC.”
