Icheoku agrees that Jonathan of Otuoke would soon be paraded before Nigerians in handcuffs. Olusegun Obasanjo wants this outcome and Olusegun Obasanjo will get his wish to have Jonathan "Metuh-nized" before the watching world. Former President Goodluck Jonathan will be arrested and paraded before Nigerians in handcuffs as the man who presided over the biggest bazaar that ever took place in Nigeria.
A president under whose watch, buzzards feasted heavily on Nigeria's commonwealth while he shivered fearfully in one corner, too afraid to raise a cautionary voice. Icheoku says if and when this happens, the skies will not cave in; but it will be hailed by millions of Nigerians who were disappointed by the failed promised breath of fresh air. They will in unison rejoice that finally a King that does not know Joseph has ascended the throne and has now called for the rendering of account. At worse, Nigerians will call for the arrest too, of Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, the precedent of arresting a president having then been set. It is unthinkable and regrettable that a president who lied that his government has no money to construct the second River Niger bridge, would dole out so much money to his National Security Adviser to play around with as he fancied.
A president under whose watch, buzzards feasted heavily on Nigeria's commonwealth while he shivered fearfully in one corner, too afraid to raise a cautionary voice. Icheoku says if and when this happens, the skies will not cave in; but it will be hailed by millions of Nigerians who were disappointed by the failed promised breath of fresh air. They will in unison rejoice that finally a King that does not know Joseph has ascended the throne and has now called for the rendering of account. At worse, Nigerians will call for the arrest too, of Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, the precedent of arresting a president having then been set. It is unthinkable and regrettable that a president who lied that his government has no money to construct the second River Niger bridge, would dole out so much money to his National Security Adviser to play around with as he fancied.
Icheoku is emphatic that all these present arrests and charges are but mere diversionary maneuvers, meant to present an image of all inclusive investigation, but which is only preparatory to finally going after the big gun. The goal of the current shenanigans is the eventual nabbing of the mother of corruption himself; and because the buck stopped on his desk, no other person can be more guilty of the sleaze that took place other than the man elected to guard and prevent against such. The implication being that none of those who allegedly stole to their heart's delight could have easily done so without a tacit signing off by the former president. As then chief executive of Nigeria PLC, Jonathan cannot plead innocent or ignorant of what went down under his supposed watch; and so he will be held accountable for it as commander in chief of the corruption.
The saga of Sambo Dasuki, Olisa Metuh and co are but mere clearing of the ground prelude to the main event when former President Jonathan will be snagged. It will definitely shake Nigerians to see their former president and possibly his wife Dame Patience, put in handcuffs, arrested and charged for corruption. Luckily Nigeria is not Gerry Rawlings' Ghana, otherwise some of these looters would summarily be executed and the heavens will not fall as a result. There will be some noise by the international community but eventually the world would move on, treating it as Nigeria's internal affairs matter.
President Muhammadu Buhari has locked up a president and his vice president before, so locking up Jonathan will not keep him sleepless in Aso Rock. Jonathan has severally proved himself to be a small fry and nothing will happen if he is arrested and locked up; moreso the current anti-corruption atmosphere in Nigeria will support such a far-reaching action meted against a former president of Nigeria. A good precedent it will be, just like when Sani Abacha dethroned and banished former Sultan of Sokoto Ibrahim Dasuki, which no Nigerian knew before then was possible. A situational possibility which Jonathan brought unto himself by sheepishly conceding the last election without first abstracting and extracting a "get-out-of-jail" card concessions from President Muhammadi Buhari.
President Muhammadu Buhari has locked up a president and his vice president before, so locking up Jonathan will not keep him sleepless in Aso Rock. Jonathan has severally proved himself to be a small fry and nothing will happen if he is arrested and locked up; moreso the current anti-corruption atmosphere in Nigeria will support such a far-reaching action meted against a former president of Nigeria. A good precedent it will be, just like when Sani Abacha dethroned and banished former Sultan of Sokoto Ibrahim Dasuki, which no Nigerian knew before then was possible. A situational possibility which Jonathan brought unto himself by sheepishly conceding the last election without first abstracting and extracting a "get-out-of-jail" card concessions from President Muhammadi Buhari.
Like Pa Ayo Fasami rightly analyzed and Icheoku agrees, Buhari is merely bidding this time, giving Jonathan false impression that he is safe and that all is well, before finally swooping down on him. According to the UPN second Republic House of Representative member from Ondo State, "Nigerians should not be in a hurry to see the trial of Jonathan commence. The trial of the former President Jonathan is bound to happen. How can you have security chiefs under your watch being indicted for corruption charges and you wont have to be quizzed too? President Buhari is only taking his time. It is only a matter of time. it is unfortunate that Nigeria is now being referred to as the Federal Republic of Corruption. The security chiefs couldn't have acted alone."
Icheoku agrees with the Ondo State elder statesman that the final epilogue in the drama currently unfolding in Nigeria will be a former President Goodluck Ebelesieme Jonathan paraded before Nigerians in handcuffs. What a day it shall be and Icheoku prays it be brought forward to give Nigerians the impetus to furiously demand for the arrest and trial also of Olusegun Obasanjo, Abdulsalam Abubakar and of course the man who institutionalized corruption in Nigeria, the resident evil of Minna Hilltop, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Who says if you live long enough you will not witness things that you never previously imagined would be possible.
Icheoku agrees with the Ondo State elder statesman that the final epilogue in the drama currently unfolding in Nigeria will be a former President Goodluck Ebelesieme Jonathan paraded before Nigerians in handcuffs. What a day it shall be and Icheoku prays it be brought forward to give Nigerians the impetus to furiously demand for the arrest and trial also of Olusegun Obasanjo, Abdulsalam Abubakar and of course the man who institutionalized corruption in Nigeria, the resident evil of Minna Hilltop, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Who says if you live long enough you will not witness things that you never previously imagined would be possible.
Probe, jail Jonathan if found guilty – NEF
ReplyDeleteJanuary 26, 2016 - Toluwani Eniola
The Deputy National Leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Paul Unongo, has said that former President Goodluck Jonathan should be probed over the $2.1bn arms deal.
Unongo, who was power and steel minister in the Second Republic, said the former President should be jailed if found to have corruptly enriched himself in the $2.1bn arms deal and refuses to refund his share of the loot.
Unongo, however, said the former President deserved consideration for conceding defeat in the last general elections and by helping the country to avert an impending national crisis.
These two facts, according to him, should make his punishments mild if found guilty of stolen funds.
Unongo, who spoke with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Monday, said, “There are three points to make on the arms probe. The first is that Jonathan deserves a special consideration for his contribution to democratic culture in Nigeria and for enabling us to avert a national crisis by conceding defeat during the general elections. He also mobilised support for the present government. Jonathan was great in defeat. He is a hero for doing this.
“Secondly, if the anti-graft agency can prove beyond reasonable doubt that he diverted public funds and if Jonathan agrees to return the stolen funds, he should not be humiliated but he should be given due consideration.
“Thirdly, if it is proved by a transparent process that he stole the country’s money and he refuses to return it, then the law should take its course, whether he is a former President or not. He should be prosecuted and jailed. This is important in order to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Unongo slammed Jonathan’s advisers who have been justifying their roles in the alleged diversion of the arms funds based on the excuse that they acted under instructions from the Presidency.
He said Jonathan’s advisers should be held liable for their actions because they had the opportunity to advise the President against any form of illegality.
According to him, Jonathan’s advisers and ministers who were uncomfortable with his style of governance should have resigned their appointments if the President did not follow their advice.
“I was a minister in this country and that did not stop me from speaking the truth to the President. Jonathan’s advisers who are claiming they acted under instructions to justify their alleged theft are lying.
“Jonathan paid them to advise him so they are liable for their actions. If you advised Jonathan rightly and he said no, you should have resigned your appointment,” he stressed.
The former minister also added that the Federal Government had not ordered the arrest of Jonathan because the government ‘was trying to be careful and abide by the dictates of the law in order not to be seen as dictatorial’.
He said, “I think President Buhari is trying to be careful in not summoning Jonathan so far. I don’t believe there was an agreement President Buhari had not to probe Jonathan as being reported.”