A businessman, Chibuike Achigbu, filed a suit yesterday before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, claiming ownership of the $15 million allegedly received from a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, by the former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.
The Federal Government had on July 24 filed an ex-parte motion before the same court seeking to take possession of the money presently in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The? Delta State also had, on August 13, argued that the jettisoned bribe money legitimately belonged to it, and urged the high court to issue an order remitting the fund to the state’s treasury.
In an application filed on his behalf by 10 lawyers, including three senior advocates – Adeniyi Akintola, Okey Amaechi and Abiodun Owonikoko – Achigbu said that he gave the money to Dr. Andy Uba, a former aide to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo for the purpose of financing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2007 general elections.
The plaintiff, who claimed to be an oil magnate, said that he first sought legal advice on whether he could raise money to donate to support the PDP and its candidates throughout the federation for the purpose of winning the 2007 general elections. He also said that he set a target of N3billion which he intended to raise through himself and his associates.
However, by April 2007 when the election had drawn near, he had raised money in excess of N2 billion after which he realised that such donations could only be made and accepted through a financial institution.