A United States court paper has revealed how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and officials of the Federal Government fought over the distribution of $6 million (about N750 million) Wilbros bribe.
According to Empowered Newswire report, the court papers showed �a series of fights on how the bribe money was to be distributed.�
According to the document, �there was a note that said �we have had this 1 per cent party situation thrown to us by the GMD of the NNPC and it is not the same as the Vice President.
�I am hoping to resolve so we do not double pay, but this is all of the commits. The notes were clearly that of the Wilbros officials handling the bribe payments to the officials involved.�
Then the note went on: �And I met yesterday (but no date on the list) with other guys about splitting as they came to say congrats so it may still be possible before final award. We had to go to so many due to the fights and Prince came through at the end as the VP backed down. We will join it with EPC if we cannot get a reduction in the commits.�
Another note made it clear that Wilbros was not going to fail on the contribution for the PDP. Said a note on the 3rd list referring to the 3rd project, �the only one we want to contribute on a timely basis is the party.�
On the last list entitled �various projects�, the Willbros official making the notes said: � I would like to settle a majority of these commits before the big projects really get going to avoid any confusion and accounting red tape. Half of these projects have not commenced but when they do, let�s settle.�
An attempt by the defendant lawyer, Matt Hennessy, to compel the US government lawyer to reveal more explicit information regarding the Nigerian officials was denied in September by the US Judge, Sim Lake, who is hearing the case.
But last Monday, Wilbros former GM pleaded guilty and the court manager for Judge Sim Lake told Empowered Newswire that sentencing had been fixed for January 25, 2008, while the former GM is free on bond until then.