Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), has denounced President Goodluck Jonathan’s for saying that his former boss and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was his political benefactor.
He spoke in an interview at the engagement ceremony of the son of Oba Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Ogun State. The president had on December 10, while addressing stakeholders of Bayelsa state People’s Democratic Party, said Alamieyeseigha was his political benefactor.
Ajibola, who was visibly furious said Jonathan’s statement, which described the ‘’ex-convict’’ as his benefactor, was an insult to Nigerians.
The former judge of the International Court of Justice and a close ally of Obasanjo challenged the president to “say it again.”
Alamieyeseigha, who was detained in London on money laundering charges in September 2005, escaped from the UK three months later.
He was later charged to court in Nigeria where he pleaded guilty to the six- count charge of money laundering offences in July 2007, and was sentenced to two years in prison on each count.
Speaking on the cold war between Jonathan and Obasanjo, Ajibola said “One other thing that bothers me lately is a statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan where he said that Alamieyeseigha was his benefactor. I think he was misquoted and he should say it again! “Jonathan should speak on this statement because it is not safe for us as a nation and as a people that an ex-convict is the benefactor of our President. It is a disgrace. He should speak up now because any further delay may be dangerous for our national image.’’
“In a matter of time, Obasanjo and Jonathan will resolve the issue between the two of them. To me, it is not an issue that should generate the noise that has attended it because it was a sincere comment by a concerned Nigerian leader about the state of the nation.So the controversy that followed that sincere comment and observation is unnecessary,” he said.
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