Arms scandal: EFCC gets first petition against Jonathan

Jonathan

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday formally received a petition asking the agency to probe ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on the alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion released to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for arms purchase.

The petition is also requesting the EFCC to invite Jonathan for interrogation on why he made N400million public funds available to a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, for personal and private party use.

It was the first petition the EFCC will formally receive demanding the investigation of Jonathan.

According to findings, the May 24, 2016 petition came from a former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Ikenna Ejezie, through his counsel, Barrister Osuagwu Ugochukwu.

Both President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, were copied the petition.

The petition reads: “We are solicitors to Hon. Ikenna Ejezie hereinafter called our client and with you as he has instructed.

“Our client is requesting you to, in the public interest, invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for questioning and possible prosecution over his role in the misuse of $2.1billion through the Office of the National Security Adviser (Col. Sambo Dasuki rtd) and disbursement of N400million funds to Olisa Metuh for personal and private political party use.

“Our client notes that Dasuki had stated severally whilst in your commission that the $2.1billion was authorized for disbursement by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for arms purchase, but later turned out to be for selfish purpose.

Olisa Metuh also had admitted that former President Goodluck Jonathan transferred and/ or authorized release of N400million public funds to his account for political campaign of Jonathan rather than for public interest.

“Our client informed us that the confession of Olisa Metuh is contained in his criminal statement with the EFCC.

“Our client is thus shocked that in spite of the implication of ex-President Jonathan in the current prosecution of Metuh and Dasuki, the former President has not been invited for his statement to be taken nor has he been prosecuted by the EFCC as co-accused/ defendant.

“Our client herewith requests that the ex-President be invited for questioning and to commence prosecution as he was the one who did authorize the disbursement of the $2.1billion and N400million public funds that were illegally abused and misappropriated by Dasuki and Metuh who are both standing trial in various courts in Abuja.

“Our client demands that this request be responded to within seven days from the receipt of this letter and as quickly as possible.”

The ex-President had on Monday told The Nation that  he was not on exile and won’t run away from any problem.

He said: “I am not on exile. I have no cause to go on exile. I was Vice President for two years and President for six years. I did everything I could and I served my country well”.

A former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Suleiman Olanrewaju Abubakar,  also quoted Jonathan as saying: “I am not on exile; I can never be on exile; I am going to come back to Nigeria.

“I cannot run away from any problem; I am going to face whatever problem that exists in Nigeria.”

When contacted, a top source at the EFCC said: “We have received a copy of the letter from the affected individual, and it will be treated on its merit. Normally, once anyone drops a letter or a petition, we   subject it to our due procedure of whether it has any merit or not.

“From what we have, what was sent to us was based on media reports. Those who brought the letter have not disclosed any fact yet.

“So far, they have to come up with more evidence. We will certainly demand for concrete evidence against the ex-President from the aggrieved who wrote us. And it is strange that a petitioner  or an individual will have to give the EFCC a deadline to do its work.”