Some former ministers that served under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration will meet the ex-president today (Sunday), SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

Barring last minute changes, it was learnt that ongoing investigations of the former President’s aides and calls for his own probe would form part of the discussion at the meeting.

It was gathered that many of the former ministers were not only disturbed, but also jittery by the concentration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-graft war on those who served under Jonathan.

Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, in a report on Friday had said Buhari should authorise the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe and prosecute Jonathan.

Ndume had said, “Nobody is supposed to be above the law. If Jonathan is a culprit, he should face the law. If there is evidence that the former President should face the law, then, he should. After all, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Also in his response to an enquiry from Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had said, “The President does not tele-guide the EFCC in any way.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had also said Buhari did not sign any pact with Jonathan or any past President to exempt him (Jonathan) from probe.

According to Shehu, Buhari, being an open person, would never go into a secret pact with anybody, especially on his administration’s ongoing anti-graft war.

A top member of the Peoples Democratic Party, who confided in SUNDAY PUNCH, said the pressure on Buhari to probe Jonathan would form part of the discussion when the ex-ministers meet the former President today (Sunday).

The PDP chieftain said, “Barring last minute changes, some former ministers would meet Jonathan tomorrow (Sunday) in Abuja. There is no way the issue of probes would not be discussed at such a meeting.”

Probing ex-President will be bad precedent — PDP

But some PDP leaders, on Saturday, called on Buhari not to succumb to pressure being mounted on him to probe Jonathan.

They said doing so would amount to laying a bad precedent.

A PDP Board of Trustees member, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, urged the Buhari-led Federal Government not to probe Jonathan, adding that doing so would humiliate the PDP leader.

Speaking in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday, Babatope described those calling for the probe of Jonathan as enemies of the country.

He said the former president should not be probed unless “it becomes brazenly open that a lot of thefts are traced to him, but for now nothing has been traced to him.”

He added, “The late sage, Pa Obafemi Awolowo, said you must not humiliate your leadership. When you decide to humiliate your leadership, it is not Jonathan that you’re humiliating, it is your values that you are casting aspersions on.

“Those calling for the probe of Jonathan are enemies of this country. Whoever is spearheading the probe may be digging his political grave. Have they found him guilty?

“All the noise we have been hearing is about the security vote. Buhari embarked on such a probe during his first coming as a military leader when he threw all manner of Nigerian leaders into jail.”

When reminded that the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, and a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall, Alex Badeh (retd.), said Jonathan approved the monies that they allegedly got, Babatope said the duo reserved the right to tender their positions in court.

When asked if he did not feel disturbed by the number of fraud cases being unearthed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Babatope said one of the solutions to corruption – as proffered by Awolowo – was equipping the Nigeria Police and giving them free rein to operate.

Responding to one of our correspondents’ comment on the allegation that $1m was found in Badeh’s house, Babatope said Badeh had denied that money was found in his house.

When our correspondent sent a text message to the phone ofanother PDP BoT member, Chief Shauib Oyedokun, seeking to know his opinion on the matter, he said, “Let’s wait till the ‘call’ is formal.”

Also speaking on the issue, a former Special Assistant to the former President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said there might be nothing wrong in Buhari asking Jonathan to account for his actions while in office, but that the President should be weary of setting a bad precedent.

Speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone, Okupe said, “Every regime has the right to investigate and we are not going to talk on whether it is right or wrong to ask the former President to account for his stewards while in office or not.

“But in asking questions about the actions of his predecessor, we must ask whether such actions would be good precedent or not. However, whatever he does is at his discretion as the president and the commander-in- chief.”

A former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George, also said there was nothing wrong in probing the activities of former President Goodluck Jonathan while in office.

He, however, said the probes being carried out by the EFCC must be holistic, adding that it would be proper for the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, AsiwajuBola Tinubu, who is also a former Governor of Lagos State, to be probed as well.

George told SUNDAY PUNCH that it was public knowledge that Tinubu had private jets and wondered why the EFCC never questioned him on his source of wealth.

George said, “I have been reading about all the monies that were stolen through the Office of the National Security Adviser and if the EFCC is probing all that with a view to recovering money, I have no problem with that.

“If they feel probing Jonathan is proper, they can go ahead but they must remember that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. There must be no sacred cow in this anti-corruption war. You cannot probe Jonathan and refuse to probe Bola Tinubu.”

George urged the EFCC to respect the office of the President when probing Jonathan.

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, however said the former President shouldn’t be arrested.

Fani-Kayode told SUNDAY PUNCH that Jonathan had done nothing to warrant being arrested and that those calling for his arrest and interrogation should understand the implications of doing so.

“For example, Senator Ndume called for Jonathan’s arrest. This is a shameful and unnecessary contribution and if Ndume feels that Jonathan has done anything wrong, he should present the evidence to the authorities and the public, rather than try to demonise the man.

“Even where mistakes have been made, I am a strong believer in loyalty and I will stand by the man that I campaigned for during the presidential election, who is also now the leader of our party. Jonathan should be treated with respect and dignity at all times and he should always be given the benefit of the doubt.”

Jonathan’s kinsmen kick

Jonathan’s kinsmen have expressed dissatisfaction over calls for the probe of the former President.

The spokesman for the Ijaw National Congress, Mr. Victor Burubo, told SUNDAY PUNCH that it was wrong for anybody to begin to plot the investigation of the former President.

Burubo argued that since some of the ministers who served under Jonathan were already being investigated, the Otuoke, Bayelsa-born politician should be allowed to enjoy his retirement.

“I don’t think he (Jonathan) should be probed. In every government, there are people responsible for various functions and when such people are found wanting, they are fished out and probed. It is not the head of the government that should be probed.

“In Buhari’s government, people padded the national budget. Would they now say that Buhari should be investigated? Nobody has said that Buhari should be investigated,” he said.

Describing Jonathan as a national icon who has been winning international awards since he left the seat of government, Burubo urged critics of the ex-President to show respect.

Also, the spokesperson of the Ijaw Youth Congress, Mr. Eric Omare, said in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH that the ongoing probe of Jonathan’s former aides could as well be termed as an investigation of the former President.

“Jonathan is already under probe. If you are probing those under the former President, you are as well investigating Jonathan,” Omare said.

Similarly, the National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Youth Parliament, Mr. ImohOkoko, rose in defence of the former President, saying he should not be probed.


http://www.punchng.com/efcc-probe-ex-ministers-to-meet-jonathan-today/

Let's see how it goes

PDP has set a bad precedent already by allowing all they allowed.

GEJ should be probed.
Not necessarily because he stole, but to clear his name and reiterate that nobody is above the law.

N'a dem know jawee. In as much as I hate PDP and the atrocities committed during GEJ amin. Make dem free the guy.

POLITICIANS

Am an innocent. I rule without stealing public funds.

SUPPORTER

I trust you my role model. Go to court and prove to them my master

POLITICIANS

See this idiot. Court ko, court ni ... I will only arrange some money for IPOB members to start protesting and give the WAILERS #1,000 each to buy Osogbo weed and Origin. Then am Good to go.

Dunno what d law says about probing ex-presidents in this country,but if GEJ has anything to answer,y not bring him forth,so he can clear his name! No one should b sacred coz when d supposed loot was going on,dey didn't think of probe. So,if Jonathan is suspected to b found wanting in anyway,let him come and clear his name,and if dats what we mean by probing him,den no wahala,let him be probed.
Another tn is dey shouldn't now turn it into deliberate attempt to humiliate him.

All these rubbish happening yet no single word from GEJ!...

Lots ov love jare!.. Mai man!..

they shuuh keep ranting!

Stewpid statement.

I have a feeling that if probed GEJ himself may be found innocent but all the criminals around him are would be exposed that is what they are fearing - they are fearing for themselves.

and the man gej is still calm and cool.
How i love this guy. Tualee baba gej, you na my role model.

Come to think of it since dem de probe all this people,have they convicted anyone or recovered any money? Not even from the most critized arms deal the story is gradually losing popularity, and may soon be forgotten. This is because gej did not start it and the man from daura is clueless. I have notice that the only successuf achievement carried out by this man are those from gej ( TSI, BH agitation and subsidy removal). If gej have written 2016 budget before leaving office all this hullabalo about it would not have risen.

If buhari can channel all this energy and ideology into the economy, believe me,he will make 1dolar=1naira and fuel to sell for 50# per litre. But he cant because he his no clue

basically ,i sincerely believe that in no time the efcc will assume the role of a bulldog with no teeth, as said by obj and as we can see from most their activities of lately using ekiti state as a study.

Government of confusion

GenBuhari:
[size=13pt]Was Abacha not "probed"?

Thiefs Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Thief Obasanjo probed Abacha immediately they entered office.

Ironic considering they were just scamming us as Abacha was not a looter as they told us. They used apparent "refund of loot" that in reality had not connection to Abacha, to hoodwink us.

The truth would be revealed soon.[/size]

you sound rather shallow minded

All I read here were _stupid excuses from bitter expired politicians, thieves and old fools!

Mama peace vision of going to kirikiri to give Oga Jonah food is about to manifest.

[s]

kelsidengkucio:
and the man gej is still calm and cool.
How i love this guy. Tualee baba gej, you na my role model.

Come to think of it since dem de probe all this people,have they convicted anyone or recovered any money? Not even from the most critized arms deal the story is gradually losing popularity, and may soon be forgotten. This is because gej did not start it and the man from daura is clueless. I have notice that the only successuf achievement carried out by this man are those from gej ( TSI, BH agitation and subsidy removal). If gej have written 2016 budget before leaving office all this hullabalo about it would not have risen.

If buhari can channel all this energy and ideology into the economy, believe me,he will make 1dolar=1naira and fuel to sell for 50# per litre. But he cant because he his no clue

basically ,i sincerely believe that in no time the efcc will assume the role of a bulldog with no teeth, as said by obj and as we can see from most their activities of lately using ekiti state as a study.

[/s]
It's warped reasoning like this that has made sure Nigeria remains backward. Youths have sold their body and soul to corruption, defending indefeasibility and accepting mediocre performance from their leaders.

For any sane and well informed person to still claim no money has been recovered from some arrested looters is a sign of unrivaled stupidity. And for anyone to think that because no one has been jailed so far means that the war on corruption is not being won is a sign of idiocy.

The fact that these looters are iN court already and sleeping in common prisons because they can't meet their stringent bail conditions should leave no one in doubt as to what awaits them at the end of the day.

Boy, FYI, PMB will revive the economy which is the only area he's struggling with of all his campaign promises. And the good thing is, he has enough time to turn things around.

You won't get a reply if you don't make sense again.

probe whoever needed to be probed

[size=14pt]PUNCH are just mischievious against PDP and GEJ as usual.

They interview Babatope etc and they bared their personal opinion to them. They then turn round to claim it's PDP's position.

Did Babatope etc tell them they were speaking for PDP?

When did Babatope etc become spokesmen of the PDP?[/size]

If probing GEJ will bring the much needed relief to our dwindling economy and reduce the suffering of the masses, so be it but we must remember that what is souce for the goose is also souce for the gander.

Buhari please probe Jonathan, I wish he will be found clean. Then come to 2019, please Jonathan contest and defeat Buhari. Buhari concedes defeat, mhm now Jonathan is steering the wheel. My problem he is clueless, Abba Moro has been given a state pardon and enlisted in ministerial list. This is Jona for you. Once a clueless is always a clueless.

This illiterate president will go down in history as one of the unfortunate thing to have happened to the country

u said u support palestine state and western Sahara, but you call the one happening in ur home a joker.

Try and arrest jonathan and see this country burn.

Useless cattle herder

But why probe only Jonathan, what of OBJ and Co? Anyway, probe let's be observing

bobbiekrantz:


All these rubbish happening yet no single word from GEJ!...

Lots ov love jare!.. Mai man!..

they shuuh keep ranting!

What do you want the corrupt ineffectual buffoon to say? When he's finally arrested and charged to court, he will sing like canary bird.

Interesting

Let him be probed ... Am sure he would come clean

kelsidengkucio:
and the man gej is still calm and cool.
How i love this guy. Tualee baba gej, you na my role model.

Come to think of it since dem de probe all this people,have they convicted anyone or recovered any money? Not even from the most critized arms deal the story is gradually losing popularity, and may soon be forgotten. This is because gej did not start it and the man from daura is clueless. I have notice that the only successuf achievement carried out by this man are those from gej ( TSI, BH agitation and subsidy removal). If gej have written 2016 budget before leaving office all this hullabalo about it would not have risen.

If buhari can channel all this energy and ideology into the economy, believe me,he will make 1dolar=1naira and fuel to sell for 50# per litre. But he cant because he his no clue

basically ,i sincerely believe that in no time the efcc will assume the role of a bulldog with no teeth, as said by obj and as we can see from most their activities of lately using ekiti state as a study.

you type like a drunk kid.
gej is a thief and must be probed. Infact, he should be hounded before the court. That will definitely herald a judicial landmark in our history.

But it is a good precedence for Wike to probe Amaechi?

When the same Jonathan was siphoning the billions of Dollars, it never occurred to him that he was setting a bad precedent?

Hot air from a disaster called apc/buharii. If u Want to probe GEJ probe him don't talk!

All the noise about probing is directly proportional to the current govt non performance. An overwhelmed bunch seeking redemption by flying watery propaganda.

This is a case of brothers(PDP) of an alleged thief along with the thief catcher(APC) being jittery whereas the supposed thief seems to be relaxing with orijin and popcorn.

We shall know the "thief" soon. Miss you GEJ.