Fani Koyode Denies receiving Money from Jonathan, Dasuki

Femi Fani-Kayode, Director of Media and Publicity of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign organisation, has stated categorically that he never received a kobo from the former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan or from the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Fani-Kayode was reacting to claims by online news platform, SaharaReporters that he was given N1.7 billion cash by Goodluck Jonathan.

Read his full statement below:

I read with amusement the allegation that was made in SaharaReporters, the unofficial media wing of the Buhari administration, Nigeria’s Secret Police, the DSS, and the EFCC, that I was given 1.7 billion naira cash by President Goodluck Jonathan. This is false. A few hours later they changed their story and said that I received 1.7 billion naira from the office of the former NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki. This is also false.

I have never received one kobo from President Jonathan himself, Colonel Dasuki or any other member of President Jonathan’s government. I have not ever been in receipt of any public funds and neither was I the beneficiary of any payments in cash, transfer, cheque or otherwise from any government official during the tenure of President Jonathan.

As Director of Media and Publicity of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign organisation I received money on behalf of the Directorate of Media and Publicity which I headed from private individuals and companies during the election campaigns but these were not public funds but rather private contributions specifically for the Presidential and other campaigns.

Such moneys were transferred into my account by the Director of Finance of the Presidential Campaign Organisation and that account was SPECIFICALLY set up for the purpose of running the publicity and media aspect of the campaign for the whole country and my Directorate.

These private individuals and companies paid their contributions into a designated account which was provided and controlled by the Director of Finance and from there she transferred it to the accounts of the various Directors and various individuals that were running for public office that the PCO supported.

The money that was sent to me for my Directorate by the Director of Finance was used in a lawful and responsible manner and by the time the campaigns were over my Directorate had paid all of its bills for services rendered and was not owing any media house or anyone else one kobo.

The Presidential candidate of our party President Goodluck Jonathan, the D-G of the PCO, the Auditor of the PCO, the Advisor to the PCO and the Director of Finance of the PCO all received reports and saw the results of the efforts of my Directorate. Not only were they satisfied with our efforts but they also commended us.

Those private individuals and companies that were kind enough to support and fund President Jonathan’s presidential campaign with their hard earned money were perfectly within their rights to do so and they were more than happy with our efforts as well.

They also commended us. Even though we ended up losing the election we fought a very virile, strong, visible, historic and aggressive campaign and the Nigerian people can attest to this. The encounter with the APC was an epic one and it was probably the most active and gruelling electoral battle in the history of our country.

Not one kobo of public funds was spent by or given to my Directorate during the campaign and as far as I am aware not one kobo of public funds was spent by or given to the PCO. Presidential campaigns all over the world cost huge amounts of money and Nigeria is no different.

This is especially so when it comes to publicity and media. My Directorate was difficult to run and our work was capital intensive. We did not use marshmallows, pebbles, and grass to pay for all the services rendered to us and all the television and newspaper adverts were fully paid for with money.

Nothing was done or given to us free of charge by anyone. This should not be a surprise to anyone as the APC and President Buhari’s campaign organisation did the same.

I opened an account specifically for the funds that were used to run my Directorate and fund all our activities in order to ensure accountability and transparency.

We also audited our accounts regularly and insisted on the highest level of professionalism from all those that worked for or with us.

Since when such matters have become a crime or subjects of criminal investigations I don’t know. If it was a crime to speak up for Jonathan during the campaign they should just say so.

If it is a crime to be a member of the PDP and to be in opposition they should just say so. If it is a crime to speak up for and defend President Jonathan and key members of his government after he has left office they should just say so.

If it is a crime to oppose the Buhari administration and speak up against his gross violations of human rights that they are indulging in and the violation of court orders they should just say so.
During the 2015 elections the PCO and my Directorate spoke up and campaigned for many PDP members who were running for public office and we funded and worked for them too. That was our job and I am very proud of the PCO and the role we all played despite limited resources.

I am particularly proud of the efforts of my team at the Directorate and I can assure all those that care to listen and that refuse to be misled by the government propaganda machine that we did nothing wrong. All we did was run an effective campaign and we did so with private funds and not funds from the government.

I am aware of the attempt by the government and my enemies to discredit me, smear my name and silence me by alleging all manner of wrongdoing but I am not in the least bit perturbed. As always my innocence will fight for me and my God will never forsake me.