A former minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, on Monday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he was testifying reluctantly against the immediate past governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose.
Obanikoro said this before Justice Cecilia Mojisola Olatoregun, while being cross-examined by the second defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN).
He said Fayose and himself enjoyed a good relationship while they were both members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obanikoro has since defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress, while Fayose remains a member of the PDP.
Obanikoro said despite testifying against Fayose, he wouldn’t want their relationship to be destroyed.
At a point in the course of being grilled by the defence counsel, Obanikoro burst out, “I’m trying to restrain myself from saying things that will further damage our relationship!”
But pushing him further, the defence counsel, Ojo, asked, “So, will it be correct to say that you are giving evidence in this case reluctantly?”
Answering, Obanikoro said, “It’s painful for me to give evidence against him (Fayose); no doubt about it. It is indeed very painful.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Fayose for allegedly taking N2.2bn from the office of the National Security Adviser to prosecute his governorship election in 2014.
The EFCC said Fayose received the N2.2bn from then NSA, Sambo Dasuki, through Obanikoro.
At the previous hearing, Obanikoro had admitted taking N2.2bn from Dasuki for onward delivery to Fayose in Ado Ekiti, adding that on Fayose’s instructions, part of the money was changed into US dollars before delivery.
Under cross-examination by the second defence counsel today, Obanikoro affirmed that he took the money to Fayose in Ado Ekiti as a PDP leader, who was carrying out a mission for his political party.
Earlier while cross-examining Obanikoro, the first defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), asked the ex-minister if he was earlier treated as a suspect by the EFCC while investigating the case.
Further proceedings were adjourned till tomorrow.
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