Olu Falae, National Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Presidential Candidate of defunct All People’s Party (APP) in 1999 has declared that all the socio-economic and political problems that bedevil the country can be resolved if the more than 600 resolutions reached at 2014 National Confab conducted by Goodluck Jonathan-led Presidency were implemented by government of the day.
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who was one of active Yoruba leaders that participated at the National Confab, noted that resolutions reached at the Confab already contained the much-talked-about socio-economic and political restructuring, saying a level of considerable autonomy is guaranteed for the regions and federating units.
Speaking on a radio programme in Akure on Saturday, Falae said, “No doubt, I want to say again, restructuring is the answer where regions and federating units have considerable autonomy.
“With Some little modifications to reflect the current situations, we have to bring back the authentic constitution at Independence which the Military threw away. That report of the 2014 Confab is going to be the future of Nigeria because during the Confab we had a discussion and listened to one another on issues and we agreed on consensus.”
But, when SDP National Chairman was asked about his role in the $2.1 billion arms scandal allegedly traced to Sambo Dasuki, retired Colonel and Ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), he insisted that he had no link with the former National Security Adviser who is standing trial for money laundering.
The elder statesman said the money he received in the run-up to the 2015 General election was N100 million from the People’s Democratic Party through Tony Anenih on behalf of his party, SDP, adding he had not met Dasuki in the last 30 years.
He said when he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) some time ago, he showed EFCC the bank statement of his party on how the transactions were made, adding that the whole process was purely an agreement between his party and the PDP.
“Let me say again that I never had anything whatsoever to do with Dasuki in the last 30 years when I saw him last was when he was the ADC to General Ibrahim Babaginda in 1986.
“The only money I have received on behalf of my party was from the PDP not Dasuki. The PDP approached my party in the run up to the 2015 general election and we had an agreement. It was three days to the election that Chief Tony Anenih sent me N100 million being the Chairman of my party to enable us campaign for our joint candidate.
“In our Constitution as a party – SDP, the Chairman is in charge of raising funds for the party and before the money came from PDP, I had advanced my party with N100 million and when the money came, I still sent N76 million, making a total of N176 million that came from me to my party”, he clarified.