I’m Ashamed to be Linked with Arms Scandal – Falae

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae, on Thursday said he was ashamed to be linked with former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), and the $2.1bn arms scandal.

Falae, who spoke on the scandal during the National Executive Council meeting of SDP in Abuja, said he would open up next week on the controversial N100m that he collected from the former chairman, Board of Trustees, Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, and “silence the blackmailers.”

The money is said to have been part of the $2.1bn meant for the procurement of weapons for the fight against Boko Haram.

Falae, however, said the last time he saw Dasuki was in 1987, when he was Secretary to the Government of the Federation, during the administration of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida.

He said:

“For people to even mention my name in connection with Dasuki, I feel ashamed for Nigerians to even say such a thing. It is wicked and a sin against God. I am sure they know that what I am saying is the truth; that there was no connection between SDP or myself with Dasuki.

We did not take any money from Dasuki. The money sent to us was by the PDP based on the exchange of letters between us, which establishes the contract.

Some people are still writing spurious nonsense but I intend to address the press sometime next week, probably in Lagos, to tell my story so everybody can hear and the blackmailers can shut up forever.

I said this because I can’t come here without addressing this issue, so that you know what you take home. We are very proud of the way we have handled this matter.”

He expressed confidence that the SDP would overcome what he described as a campaign of calumny by certain forces to discredit its leadership.

He added:

“I have said so several times and I will say so now that as a believer in God, I did not collect even one naira from Col. Dasuki. Not just that, I have had absolutely no feelings whatsoever, with Col. Dasuki.

I think the last time I saw Col. Dasuki must have been in 1987 when he was ADC to General Babangida and I was Secretary to the Federal Government of the Federation.

So we worked together, that was on 1987. That is 29 years ago. So, ladies and gentlemen, please, put your mind at rest. I have nothing to do with Dasuki. I took no money from Dasuki.

The N100m they are talking about, it was the money sent by the PDP to your party, SDP, following our endorsement of their presidential candidate.”