Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh says he will return the N400 million given to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan for media campaigns ahead of the 2015 Presidential Election.

Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, counsel to Metuh said this in a statement released on Thursday.

Metuh said he was returning the money as a show of support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign.

Explaining why Metuh was returning the money, Ikpeazu reiterated that as at the time Metuh received the money, he didn’t know from where it was sourced, but had believed it was from the former president.

“We want to explain the reasons for our client’s proposal to refund the N400 million released to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan,” the statement read.

“We want to restate that at the time the money was released to him after his presentation to the ex-President, our client had no knowledge of the source, a fact that is now obvious from the evidence of the prosecution and defence witnesses,

“Our client had every cause to believe that the money was from the ex-President to whom he made a presentation, received directives and rendered report and accounts accordingly.”

Ikpeazu further stated that ever since the source of the funds became known to Metuh, he has indicated his willingness to return it, irrespective of the fact that the money had be utilized as directed by the former president.

“It was however while in court that a document was brought regarding the source of the money and since then, our Client has made manifest his willingness to refund the money and has indeed approached his family, friends and associates to mobilise funds to refund the entire N400 million to the government regardless of the fact that the money had been expended based on the directives of the former President and that part of the money had been recovered from one of the prosecution witnesses,” Ikpeazu stated.

He added that Metuh has been in talks with the Ministry of Justice, the EFCC and other necessary bodies on how to refund the money and resolve the issue.

Ikpeazu noted that his client has never held a government position but was just an unfortunate victim of circumstance, adding that “his refunding the money therefore goes to show his support for the anti-corruption war as well as serve as a testament to his sincerity, integrity and honesty in this matter.”

Ikpeazu expressed Metuh’s hope that the nation will “come through this difficult time by the grace of the Almighty God.”