The Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, has lambasted former Presdient, Goodluck Jonathan for claiming that his erstwhile National Security Adviser, Dasuki Sambo did not steal $2.2bn, contrary to the accusation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Jonathan, who was responding to questions after his lecture on Youth Entrepreneurship at the famous Oxford Union in the United Kingdom, said: “They said the National Security Adviser (Sambo Dasuki) stole $2.2billion. I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion.
“We bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on and so forth and you are still saying 2.2 billion, so where did we get the money to buy all those things?
“Yes, there were some issues. Yes, there are still corruption issues but some of it were over blown. I’d say exaggerated and they give a very bad impression about our nation. You cannot say the national security adviser stole $2.2billion. It is not just possible.”
Reacting, however, Adeniran said the statement credited to Jonathan was unfortunate, adding that, “I am not surprised that the former President made such a statement because he has always demonstrated his ignorance of how much malfeasance took place under his watch.
“He was the chief accounting officer of that regime and believed that all fingers are pointing in his direction, because most of those that have confessed to sharing in the loot have mentioned one way or the other that he (Jonathan) gave approval for the money they expended, the latest of which is Obanikoro and Fani-Kayode.
“He knew that eventually, it will get to him, that was why he was saying that it was not possible for Dasuki to steal $2.1bn, even when he saw people moving more than $9m to South Africa under a non-conventional guise for buying arms and he saw the revelations that even some of his ministers went away with more than $20bn.
“He was just saying that to prepare the ground for his own defence, maybe, when eventually he is called to answer questions. Basically, it’s just a kind of drowning man clutching to the available straw.”
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