Jonathan Takes Measures To Defend His Administration

Former president Goodluck Jonathan

Former president Goodluck Jonathan, who arrived Abuja last weekend after holidays, is reportedly planning to “defend his administration”. Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Nation that Jonathan is disturbed by the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari to probe how $2.1billion was illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).
Therefore, the former president is reportedly planning a protest to the General Abubakar Abdulsalami National Peace Committee for 2015 general elections that the Buhari administration is trying to blackmail him and his erstwhile cabinet members. Jonathan is also displeased with allegations of corruption flying around his administration and worried by the likely probe of the whereabouts of the $4billion taxes and dividends paid by the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas Ltd between 2009 and 2014.
According to sources, another matter that worries Jonathan and his ministers is how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under his watch allegedly blew N3.8trillion in three years.
A source added that the Abdulsalami Committee is yet to have audience with Buhari on the allegations made by the ex-president.“The former President returned into the country at the weekend but he is unhappy with the bashing of his administration.
“Jonathan believes that Buhari is blackmailing him and his ministers, contrary to the terms of the 2015 poll peace agreement which led to a smooth transition from the Peoples Democratic Party to the opposition All Progressives Congress.
“I think Jonathan approached the Abdulsalami Committee so that he will be left alone by Buhari who openly said he inherited an empty treasury from his predecessor,” the source said.

     Meanwhile, an ex-minister in the Jonathan administration confirmed that the former president is unhappy that the administration of Buhari has been stigmatizing his administration.
“For God’s sake, let them allow this man to earn his well-deserved retirement. If there is any observation by the new government, there are standard official procedures of addressing such,” the minister noted.
It would be recalled that on June 29 the National Economic Counci raised a four-man panel to investigate how the NNPC spent N3.8 trillion in three years.
While awaiting the submission of the committee’s report, Adams Oshiomhole, the governor of Edo state, had alleged that the $2 billion from the ECA was withdrawn “without authorisation” of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee.
Reacting to the allegation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the ex-minister of finance, stated that the money was used to pay for fuel subsidy under instructions from Goodluck Jonathan.