Okereke-Onyiuke must return N100m donation - EFCC - Passport seized, returned

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 22.08.2008

IF the reported stance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is anything to go by, then the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Professor (Mrs.) Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, would refund to the last kobo, the donations made to the ‘Obama for Africa’ project.

The money realised at the controversial concert was put at over N100 million. A very reliable source within the commission revealed to the Nigerian Tribune that it had been made clear to her by the commission that the entire money realised at the ceremony must be refunded to the last kobo.

The source, who could not be categorical on her possible prosecution, added that what was paramount now was the recovery of the money before any other step would be taken on the matter.

It was further gathered that her refusal to cough up the money could eventually lead to her prosecution. Nigerian Tribune also learnt that Okereke-Onyiuke was detained overnight at the commission’s facility contrary to her claim published in one of the dailies (not Nigerian Tribune) that she slept in her hotel room in Abuja on Wednesday night.

She was also reported to have claimed that she was not in contact yet with EFCC as of Wednesday night. Commission’s spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune on Thursday that she was still undergoing interrogation at about 4.00 p.m.

He, however, hinted at the possibility of her release yesterday, after the investigators must have been through with her.

A source disclosed that her international passport had earlier been seized by the commission, but was later returned to her in the belief that she could not possibly run away from her prominent job.

She was missing at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of First Bank Plc which took place in Abuja on Thursday. While denying being detained by the commission, Okereke-Onyiuke was quoted as saying that she was actually in Abuja for the First Bank event. She is said to be a director of the bank.

A source in the commission noted that she was able to make the alleged false claim because outside contacts were allowed on Wednesday, but that the grace was not availed her on Thursday following the said report, with the source saying that those in doubt should try her mobile phone to see if they would get through.

Okereke-Onyiuke was summoned and detained by the commission on Wednesday following a petition reportedly written by Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, against the fundraising for the presumptive Democratic candidate in the United States presidential election in November, Senator Barack Obama.

The commission reportedly summoned her to explain who the N100 million allegedly realised at the event was meant for, following the rejection of the donation by the Obama campaign organisation.

Okereke-Onyiuke had said that the money raised at the event was not for Obama. The commission wanted Okereke-Onyiuke to explain why she spearheaded the event despite knowing that electoral laws in America did not allow such donations.