The Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha yesterday said that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature was forged by those who withdrew $6,230,000 as authorised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on February 8, 2023.
Mustapha, who testified in the trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, said his signature was also forged.
The SGF emphasised that he knew nothing about the money said to have been withdrawn for the payment of foreign election observers.
Mustapha, who spoke as a prosecution witness, told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama that it was not the business of the Federal Government or the office of the SGF to request funds from the CBN for the payment of foreign election observers.
He said it was solely the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deal with issues relating to election observers and other election-related matters.
A Deputy Director in the CBN, Michael Onyeka Ogbu, had told the court on Monday that the money was handed in cash to an official from the office of the SGF, named Jibril Abubakar, upon approvals by President Buhari and Emefiele, following a request by the SGF.
The prosecution is accusing Emefiele of being behind the withdrawal.
