I received funds from ex-NSA but not #Dasukigate – Okupe

An aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted receiving funds from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Doyin Okupe, who served as Mr. Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, however denied the funds he received were part of the $2.1 billion arms fund allegedly misappropriated by Mr. Dasuki. Most of the funds are believed to have been used as slush funds for the 2015 elections.

The Ex- NSA as well as other members of the past administration are currently being prosecuted for their roles in the scam now known as #Dasukigate.

On Sunday, Mr. Okupe, who has been mentioned as one of the beneficiaries of the largesse, took to twitter to state his position.

“I was not paid arms deal money. NSA paid for running of my office monthly from August 2012. Dasuki-gate was in 2014,” he tweeted in the early hours of Sunday.

He added that “President is empowered by the Constitution to run his office as he deems fit. NSA is a staff of the president and subject to his orders.”

In trying to explain his tweet as well as another where he said, “I Did not take part in campaign,” Mr. Okupe told PREMIUM TIMES that, “I was not involved in any aspect of the campaign. Neither was my office.”

“However, I kept up with my duties as a principal aide of the president and continued media engagement and interface where necessary. I received no special funds for any program or project connected with electioneering.”

Mr. Okupe’s public denial of any role in the arms scandal comes days after another ex-presidential aide, Femi Fani-Kayode was summoned by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, to explain his role in the scam. Mr. Fani-Kayode is expected to appear before the EFCC on Monday.

Sunday’s statement by Mr. Okupe also follows other recent ones he made on twitter. About two weeks ago, he said the nomination of Mr. Jonathan by the Peoples Democratic Party was responsible for the party’s misfortune during the last general elections.