FG Went Too Far, I Have No Account, Property, Abroad – Jonathan

By Gideon Njoku

Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan says his commitment to Nigeria is total, insisting that he has no account or property abroad.

Dr Jonathan was reacting to reports in the  international Media to the effect that the Federal Government has subpoenaed banks for the details of his  bank accounts and that of his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan.

The former President said that the FG didn’t need to go that far, because if he had been asked, he would have advised that the move was a waste of time because he had no such money or properties abroad. He recalled that on March 5, 2014, he had told Nigerians that: ” I am loyal to Nigeria’s Economy. I don’t have accounts or properties abroad”.

He regretted the FG’s move saying that while in office, he treated every former President or Head of State with utmost respect and dignity the office deserves. He said he did so because of his belief that the promotion  protection, and projection, of Nigeria’s sovereignty and image were the paramount duty of his  government because, “it is not possible to belittle Nigerians without belittling Nigeria.”

Following is Jonathan’s reaction, signed on his behalf, by his Media aide, Ike Eze.

“Our attention has been drawn to international media reports to the effect that the Federal Government of Nigeria has subpoenaed bank records for former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan in the United States of America.

“We aver that the Federal Government of Nigeria did not contact Dr. Jonathan or his wife before issuing these subpoenas. If they had, we would have advised them of the fact that you cannot subpoena what does not exist.

“We also remind the public that on March 5, 2014, during the swearing in of new ministers, then President Jonathan said “I am loyal to Nigeria’s economy. I don’t have accounts or property abroad.”

“We are confident in stating that between that time and now, nothing has changed with regards to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. He has no accounts in the United States of America, and encourages US authorities to cooperate fully with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s  subpoena.

“We would also like to state that during his tenure as President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan extended every courtesy to former Presidents and Heads of state, because he believed and still believes that promoting, projecting and protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and image is the paramount duty of her government, because it is not possible to belittle Nigerians without belittling Nigeria.

“Finally, we state that the signing of the P&ID contracts preceded the Jonathan administration, and that that government gave appropriate counsel to the incoming government in the handover notes of 2015, which advice, if carried out, would have prevented the current unfortunate circumstances.