Ekun Samuel, 12 August 2015.
“Some people are even calling for the probe of the government, but I think in Nigeria, there are a lot of many things that will be probed, very many things, even debts owed by states and debts owed by this country from 1960 up to this time. They say it is Jonathan’s administration that accrued these debt, I believe that anybody that is coming for probe must also ensure that this probe is extended beyond the Jonathan administration. Otherwise, to me, it will be a witch-hunt. If we are very sincere, it is not only the Jonathan administration that should be probed.” These were the words of imminent past President Goodluck Ebela Jonathan in Aso Rock Villa on May 27, 2015 during Federal Executive Council Valedictory session witnessed by big-wigs of the Peoples Democratic Party.
President Mohammadu Buhari on his emergence as President as vowed to leave no stone unturned in fighting corruption. But it is now visibly crystal clear that it is limited to the past President's administration, which former President GEJ has described as witch-hunt.
It's all emanating with the recent report that President Buhari have dumped the investigation of $182m halliburton bribe which includes the names of Ex Military Head state such as; Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar. These elites groups of past administration have in turn threatened to expose President Buhari's stewardship then as Minister of Petroleum in 1976 that led to the mysterious disappearance of a whooping US $2.8 Billion from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC account in Midlands Bank, United Kingdom under his supervision.
Due to this threats, , Femi Adeshina, special aide to the president on media and publicity, said: “It would be a distraction for the President to begin digging into all former administrations, but for a proper take off of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, there is need to look into the immediate past government (Jonathan’s). We are interested in investigating Jonathan’s government to recover stolen funds”.
CNN iReport investigation showed that Jonathan administration may have been singled-out as ‘corrupt government’ due to the fact that he was a minority-leader from Niger-Delta and obviously not a military, but a civilian leader. There are feelers from some Nigerians that this probe may not have happened if Jonathan had been a retired Army General.
Definitely with this report, it would be believed that President Buhari trully have something against GEJ and his administration. If not why should President Buhari be interested in probing GEJ's adminstration alone? knowing fully well corruption, looting and bribe has been a trend and normal occurrence of last leadership and administration.
