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The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, testified on Tuesday that neither he nor former President Muhammadu Buhari authorised the disbursement of $6.2 million to international election observers.
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Mustapha’s testimony came as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who faces charges of alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Emefiele of forging documents and illegally obtaining $6.2 million from the CBN in February 2023, claiming a presidential directive for election observer funding.
Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, allegedly connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that the SGF requested it “vide a letter dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201,″ according to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023.
However, Mustapha dismissed the claim that a document titled “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS” came from President Buhari’s office.
He denied any involvement or knowledge of the transaction, stating he only learned about it through media reports in December 2023 and questioned the document’s authenticity.
“On the face value of the document, I can say having served five years and seven months, this document did not emanate from the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mustapha stated.
“A correspondence that carries the seal of the president of Nigeria does not carry a reference number. The seal is the authority.”
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“The Federal Executive Council (FEC) decisions are not transmitted by letters. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted,” he said.
“I am the custodian of the record of FEC, for that reason, the president cannot refer any executive conclusion to me.”
Mustapha also questioned the term “special appropriation provision” used in the document, noting only the Appropriation Act- passed by the national assembly or supplementary appropriations exist
“All the years I have served, I have never heard of the term “special appropriation provision.” The two terms known to me are appropriation, as provided for by the Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly. The second is when the government finds a gap, it brings a supplementary appropriation.”
“In all the correspondences I have received from Buhari, it has never had ‘please accept the assurance of my highest regard’. I am his subordinate.”
He also noted that the signature on the document was a “failed attempt at reproducing President Buhari’s signature. But I will leave that to the experts.”
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