A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, has returned to Nigeria to honour his invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Obanikoro has been in the United States since 2015 after the general elections which saw his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), unseated at the centre.

He has been accused of involvement in corrupt practices, as the anti-corruption campaign of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration intensified with a clampdown on some public officials from the previous administration.

The EFCC has said that it has proof that Obanikoro received a total of 4.745 billion Naira from the office of the former National Security Adviser between April 4, 2014, and December 15, 2014 through companies belonging to his sons.

Obanikoro was also named in the alleged rigging of Ekiti State’s governorship election after the emergence of an audio said to have been recorded by a military officer who was at a meeting with some PDP members.

Asides the release of the controversial audio which recorded voices purportedly of Obanikoro, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose and other notable persons perfecting plans to rig the election, a PDP member also made headlines by tendering evidences to prove that the election was rigged in favour of the PDP.

Mr Tope Aluko gave a breakdown of how series of meetings were held before the election and listed the persons at the meeting to include former President Jonathan, former PDP Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, Governor Fayose and himself (Aluko).

“At the meeting President Jonathan agreed that if he needed Ekiti, he would support us to ensure that we delivered.

“At the second meeting we had Obanikoro, Jelili, Omisore… It was a combination of Osun and Ekiti people and they were discussing how we were going to move to take the south-west

“Before the primaries, His Excellency, Ayodele Fayose, said that we can only win using the military. Then we came up with a plan about May,” he alleged.

He referred to the audio, which was leaked on the internet, saying it was genuine and not doctored.

Controversies trailing the role of the military in the alleged rigging of the election after the emergence of the audio have since led to the retirement of one of the indicted officers, Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh.

The Army officer was retired in line with the recommendation of the Army panel set up to look into allegation of professional misconduct against him in connection with the conduct of June 14, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State and the 2015 general elections.

A board of inquiry led by General Officer Commanding One Division of the Nigerian Army, led by Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, indicted the senior officer and others, recommending various degrees of sanctions for them. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Senator Obanikoro.

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