Many Nigerians are eagerly waiting to know how the current corruption probe into $2bn arms deal will pan out on immediate past president Goodluck Jonathan.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari
Former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki has been squealing before operatives of anti-graft commission on receivers of money his office supposedly released on not only purported arms procurement, but on as diverse as matters of non-security.
President Muhammadu Buhari committee establish to investigate arms spending over the past eight years had exposed a total of N643.8 billion extra budgetary deal, except grants from the state governments and funds collected by the Department of State Security (DSS) and the police.
However, former NSA maintained that he couldn’t have released such huge funds without Jonathan’s approval.
Dasuki’s impressive and criminative revelations have already led to the arrest and arraignment of some leading members of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
On the ex-president, in a statement on November 18, Dasuki noted the next: “That I am aware in November (I cannot remember the exact date), my office requested the CBN to exchange N10 billion from the account of the Office of National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged at $47m and some Euros which I cannot remember. The exact amount was delivered at my residence.
“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP Presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. (Waripamowei) Dudafa (SSAP Household) and ADC (C-I-C) for distribution on the instruction of the President.”
So President Buhari is now in dilemma as it’s not clear how the incumbent leader plans to handle whatever may be Jonathan’s participation in the committee’s findings, which Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, defined as “extremely worrying considering that the interventions were granted within the same period that our troops fighting the insurgency in the Northeast were in desperate need of platforms, military equipment and ammunition.”
The committee’s exposures could, indeed, be distressing enough to set Buhari on a dispute course with his immediate predecessor whom he had praised on some events as a democratic hero for accepting defeat in the March 28 election.
Following the findings of the presidential committee, other arraignments had happened.
Following the findings of the presidential committee, other arraignments had happened.
On December 1, the anti-graft commission picked up son of ex-governor of Sokoto Attahiru Bafarawa, and Dokpesi, who was arraigned on December 9.
Former Minister of State for Finance in the Jonathan government, Bashir Yuguda, was also arrested and charged in court.
Doubts trail Buhari’s crucial step on Jonathan amidst Dasuki’s bombshells and other disclosures, there is the belief in some quarters that the president is being hamstrung by some “hidden” portions of the Abuja Peace Accord initiated by the National Peace Committee and signed by all political parties on March 26, 2015.
The major subject of the peace agreement, made public two days to the presidential elections, was that the parties must avoid violence and aspirants accept the outcome of the polls.
However, it was reported that the telephone call by Jonathan congratulating Buhari for winning the polls was “Part 1” of the Accord “hidden” agreement.
The “Part 2” was that there should not be any investigation of the past regime, particularly should Buhari win.
While a close assistant to the ex-president claimed that Jonathan was unflurried about the revelations of wild looting under him and Dasuki’s accusation that he gave approvals, Jonathan may not actually be comfortable with the developments.
The aide further revealed that Jonathan observes the disclosures of plundering as affecting individual members of his government rather than him or his administration generally.
But Jonathan had paid several “secret visits” to President Buhari at his official residence in Aso Rock villa and what two leaders discussed wasn’t made public.
One of the sources of the Daily Trust, a member of the National Peace Committee said that he believed that prosecuting Jonathan “will be difficult despite the fact his signature was on many of the controversial deals.”
He added that Buhari’s hesitation in inviting Jonathan to answer for his role in the arms scandal, among others, may not necessarily be informed by any deal struck by the two leaders.
Meanwhile, the presidency has said that President Buhari’s hands are not tied over the possibility of investigating his predecessor.
Femi Adesina said that Buhari did not reach any deal with the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections that Jonathan would not be investigated.
Femi Adesina said that Buhari did not reach any deal with the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections that Jonathan would not be investigated.
Adesina clarified that the National Peace Committee only urged that all investigations should be done in accordance with the rule of law.
Asked whether ex-president would be investigated, the presidential spokesperson said: “When we come to any bridge, it will be crossed”.
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