2019!!! Atiku’s Right Hand Man In HOT SOUP!
Dr Doyin Okupe, one of the spokesmen of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, has been slammed with about fifty-nine (59) charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his alleged collection of over N120 million from Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser (NSA).
Emerging reports show that the former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan will be arraignedbefore Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
The charges border on money laundering and criminal diversion of public funds, and receiving about N120 million, which, according to the anti-graft agency, is an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, (As amended in 2012,) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
In his statement, Okupe said: “The initial N50 million was approved by the President to be paidto me from his security vote. N10 million was to furnish my rented living apartment, and another N10 million for my office. The balance N30 millionwas approved as take-off grant. The N10 million I received from the ONSA monthly, was to run my office, pay salaries of staff, including overheads, pay expenses for our numerous Press Conferences, pay for publications in newspapers, magazines, local and foreign television programmes, bulletins, and Media Consultants, who assist and facilitate our work. I had about 23 staffers, 11 were graduates, out of which five were master’s degree holders.
“We paid NTA about N1.2 million monthly for airtime. Two presenters were paid N600,000 monthly. The lead Presenter on ‘Insight’ earned N400,000, and the second presenter earned N200,000. Total N600,000. We paid for tapes and editing per programme. Besides, we also pay honorarium for Guests, either directly or in form of hotel bills, for those outside Abuja, or transportation. This cost averagely N500,000 weekly, or about N2 million monthly. All in all, we spend about N4 million monthly on the programme. Mr. President promised to help with the expenses. About a few months later when we had incurred some debts the NSA sent me this N50 million, which was to cover the cost of the programme for 12 months.”
However, Sola Atere, who was the Executive Director (News) of the NTA, denied that the station received any money from Okupe because the programme was done free of charge, as part of the Station’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
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