The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has
called on the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, to immediately invite the wife of the
immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan for
questioning over the allegations of money laundering
involving herself, her aides and some Skye Bank
officials.
Executive Chairman of the Coalition, Debo Adeniran
said, “it is beginning to appear like the EFCC is disposed
to ‘pampering’ some suspected corruption criminals in
our country even though the Act that established the
Commission gives it constitutional powers to carry out
its duties without fear or favoured.
“The case of the wife of former President Jonathan
epitomizes this reality. With the whole lot of confusion,
allegations and counter-allegations, media war etc. that
are attendant to the Mrs. Jonathan’s case, what else
does the EFCC need to invite the person who is at the
epicentre of the whole episode, even if just for
questioning and clarifications?”
The renowned anti-corruption Crusader added that, “we
are impressed by the efforts of the EFCC so far on the
Mrs. Jonathan’s case including the arrest and ongoing
prosecution of some the aides and the bankers
involved. Yet, we cannot help but ask whether indeed
the EFCC is being hindered from using the shortest cut
to resolve this corruption imbroglio involving the wife
of the immediate past President by inviting/summoning
her?”
“The truth is that, Madam Jonathan is a Nigerian, like
every other one, that must abide by the constitution of
the country. What are the fears of EFCC? Does the
EFCC handle ‘lesser’ Nigerians in one corruption case
or the other in this mode? If we are serious about
fighting corruption, we must not consider some people
as ‘untouchables’, particularly when such people have
been ‘cornered’ like the woman in question as long as
the rule of law is not violated!”
Reiterating CACOL’s position on the saga, Adeniran
continued, “Like we said when the news broke out that
Madam Jonathan had openly la!d claim to the $15m
frozen in four company accounts and dared the anti-
graft agency to invite her for questioning. We ask, how
did she get the money and even the ones stacked in her
account? That is what we Nigerians want to know.”
“As far as we can understand, she was just a civil
servant, so as a civil servant, how did she manage to
acquire such properties that worth such stupendous
amount, because she would have earned less than 10%
of the amount even if she had been a Director or
Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa Civil Service all of
the entire years she has spent on earth!”
In concluding, Adeniran said, “we are calling on the
EFCC to invite Madam Jonathan for questioning with
immediate effect. This ‘beating around the bush’
approach is not going to strengthen the anti-corruption
war, it can only weaken it. Name, Shame and Shun
Corrupt Leaders, anywhere, anytime!”
Meanwhile, the EFCC has invited Department of State
Services, DSS, operatives attached to Mrs Patience
Jonathan during her reign as First Lady.
They are wanted based on intelligence that they moved
huge amounts of money to financial institutions on
behalf of their former principal.
