SGF Testifies Against Emefiele: Alleges Forgery of Buhari’s Signature for $6.2m Withdrawal

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has testified against Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), alleging the forgery of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature for the withdrawal of $6,230,000 from the CBN just days before the 2023 presidential election.

Mustapha made these assertions during his testimony at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday. He clarified that neither the letter attributed to Buhari nor the one purportedly signed by him originated from the Presidency, branding them as forged documents.

Furthermore, Mustapha emphasized that it was not within the jurisdiction of the federal government or the SGF’s office to request funds from the CBN for the payment of foreign election observers. He underscored that such matters fell under the purview of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and not the CBN.

The testimony follows revelations made by Michael Onyeka Ogbu, an official of the CBN, who disclosed on Monday that the funds were disbursed in cash to an official from the SGF’s office, Jibril Abubakar, following approvals by President Buhari and Emefiele. The EFCC has accused Emefiele of orchestrating the forgery to defraud the Federal Government.

In his testimony, Mustapha asserted his ignorance of the transaction until he departed from office in May 2023. He refuted the document’s authenticity in question, stating that it did not emanate from the office of President Buhari during his tenure.

Furthermore, Mustapha highlighted discrepancies in the signatures, pointing out that the conclusion of Buhari’s letters with “Please accept with my highest regard” was inconsistent with his usual correspondence. He deemed the signature a failed attempt to replicate Buhari’s authentic sign-off.

The SGF’s testimony underscores the complexities surrounding the alleged forgery and fraudulent transactions about Emefiele.

Written by sdbLive