INVESTIGATORS probing the $480 million bribery scandal are at a crossroads following a revelation that the money was given to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2007 elections.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that one of the suspects in the scandal made the startling revelation and that the money was not for bribing anybody.
The source revealed that a former head of state had approached one of the top government functionaries to assist in sourcing for money for the PDP campaign in 2007.
Consequently, the source disclosed that Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN) Plc, which bluntly refused to contribute to the campaign, approached Halliburton that was soliciting for the award of the multi-million naira contract for the construction of the second phase of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), project in Rivers State.
The source added that because of Halliburton’s determination to get the contract, it later released the money through JBN.
It was also reliably gathered that a former aide to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Bodunde Adeyemi, was chosen as the errand boy who was collecting the money from JBN.
Also, Bodunde told investigators that the money was being forwarded to the party and no account given.
However, a former chairman of the party (name withheld) has since denied ever receiving such money, as he never knew what was going on.
The source told the Nigerian Tribune that all the old reports on the investigations are being reopened so as to get further facts for prosecution.
At the conclusion of investigations three years ago, only Adeyemi was charged to court, which the United States government rejected.
Meanwhile, as investigations into the Halliburton bribery scandal reopens, Nigerian Tribune gathered that there is likelihood of more suspects being arrested.
The middleman in the scandal, one Testler, based in the United Kingdom (UK), is being sought as the US government has promised to assist in his extradition to Nigeria to face criminal charges.
All those involved in the bribery scandal in the US have since been prosecuted and convicted.
Further pressure continues to mount on President Goodluck Jonathan to stop the prosecution, as those involved are claiming that it was through the Halliburton money that they came to power with his predecessor, Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
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