Posted by By PATRICK ASONYE on
Erstwhile presidential aide, Andy Uba, has dismissed as untrue allegations by former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, that he (Uba) witnessed, while he (Turaki) disbursed N10.4 billion to finance Obasanjo's failed third term bid.
Erstwhile presidential aide, Andy Uba, has dismissed as untrue allegations by former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, that he (Uba) witnessed, while he (Turaki) disbursed N10.4 billion to finance Obasanjo's failed third term bid.
Turaki, now in court for alleged money laundering, had in a statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that the money was first converted to dollars and disbursed in the presence of Uba for 'security use."
But Uba, in two separate statements signed on his behalf by Mr. Jerome Azubuko and Chuks Akunna, coordinator, Andy Uba Support Group and Media Assistant to Dr. Andy Uba respectively the deposed governor of Anambra State denied Turaki's claim.
In a three-paragraph statement entitled: Andy Uba not witness to Turaki's release, Akunna noted: 'The attention of His Excellency, Dr. Andy Emmanuel Uba (MFR), former governor of Anambra State, has been drawn to certain 'confessional statements" credited to former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, to the effect that he (Uba) was in the know of how Turaki contributed huge sums of money in support of the failed tenure elongation agenda."
The statement added that, even though the EFCC has come out in black and white to declare that no governor, Turaki inclusive, was found to have contributed monies in support of the third term agenda, Uba still finds it necessary to state for the records that he was never witness to Alhaji Saminu Turaki, or anybody for that matter, handing out any money for any project.
Dr. Andy Uba understands that this may not be the best of times for the former governor and his aides, but also believes that Alhaji Saminu Turaki should be able to navigate the legal minefields without resorting to dragging his (Andy's) name into the matter for political reasons best known to Turaki and his aides, he stated.
On his part, Azubuko stated that: 'Dr. Andy Uba denies being privy to any such transaction between the (former) governor and any person, agency or government."
Stressing that Uba is shocked by Turaki's claims, the statement concluded: 'Dr. Uba was never in any place where (former) Governor Turaki gave money to anybody. Turaki's claim is a total fabrication, a big lie."