Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he is not yet ready to respond to allegations that his administration diverted about $2.1 billion meant for arms procurement into other purposes.
Jonathan said that “When issues are before the court the law demands you don’t comment on it. Definitely I speak on but let’s allow law to take its course.”
Former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and some officials of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are presently standing trial in connection with their alleged involvement in the scandal.
Though the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu had said the commission had no evidence yet to warrant the arrest of the former President, there had been rumours and suggestions in certain quarters that Dr Jonathan needed to be questioned.
But in series of messages on his Twitter handle, Jonathan, who is in Geneva, Switzerland, where he is holding a press conference, said he would react to the issue when the time is right
“My voice will certainly be heard at the appropriate time regarding the alleged arms funds mismanagement. I would not want to interfere with the proceeding by the judicial system that my administration worked tirelessly to strengthen.
“My post presidential focus is advancing democracy and good governance in Africa. If we do not spend billions to educate Africa’s youths today, we will spend it fighting insecurity tomorrow,” the President said.
Jonathan also dismissed the claim by Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that 55 Nigerians stole over N1 trillion of government funds between 2006 and 2013, stating that “I was only president for five years but some people talk as if I have been president since independence.”
Going back to the allegation of erstwhile CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi Lamido (now Emir of Kano), Jonathan said: “One day the then Central Bank Governor woke up and said $48 billion dollars was stolen. Two days later he said it was $12 billion few days again he said it was $20 billion and the opposition started trumpeting it. Now, the same people are saying it was $5.6 billion. What are we going to believe? Well, they said some individuals and 20 governors; why don’t they name them?”
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