by Ikenna Asomba, Vanguard
Immediate-past President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, debunked allegations that his administration awarded contract for arms procurement to the tune of $2 billion.
Jonathan, who spoke in Washington DC, on “Presidential elections and democratic consolidation in Africa: Case studies on Nigeria and Tanzania,” a conversational forum, co-hosted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), stated categorically that “I did not award any $2 billion contract for procurement of weapons.”
Jonathan queried, “Where did the money come from? “I did not award a contract of $2billion for procurement of weapons,” reports Premium Times.
At the forum moderated by USIP Senior Advisor to the US President and member, NDI Board of Directors, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, Jonathan also shared his views on those elections and their significance in the consolidation of democratic progress in Tanzania.
He also discussed the recent political transition in Nigeria, as well as the prospects for improved governance in the country.
Recall that on Tuesday, a presidential investigations committee into arms procurement under the administration of ex-President Jonathan revealed in its interim report that it found extra-budgetary spending by the Jonathan administration to the tune of N643.8 billion and an additional $2.2 billion in the foreign currency component, all managed and supervised by ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).
But in a swift reaction, Dasuki had said in a statement Wednesday, said that all contracts and accruing payments were made based on the approval of ex-President Jonathan, adding that due process and military procurement regulations were followed in all the transactions.
Dasuki said: “Nigerians should note that all the services generated the types of equipment needed, sourced suppliers most times and after consideration by the Office of the NSA, the President will approve application for payment.”
But Mr. Jonathan said he never awarded any $2billion arms contract, suggesting that the claims by the Buhari administration were false and unsubstantiated. Mr. Dasuki had also argued along that line.
Mr. Jonathan touched on the contract issue after he stated that he was aware of allegations of huge sums of money that were said to be missing from the Nigerian treasury, but he claimed that some of the figures mentioned are not believable. “Sometimes, I feel sad when people mention these figures,” he added.
Speaking pointedly about his successor, President Jonathan said, “When the President (Buhari) paid official visit to the US, there were some figures that were mentioned that I don’t believe.”
He drew attention to figures like the $150billion alleged to have been stolen in previous Nigerian administrations, but Mr. Jonathan scoffed at the probability of “$150 billion American money” being missing and “Americans will not know where it is,” adding that at any rate President Buhari did not accuse his administration.
“He didn’t say my government, he said previous administrations… “$150 billion is not 150 billion Naira,” he stated, suggesting that “People play politics with very serious issues.”
The former president was equally dismissive of people who alleged that the sum of $59.8 million was misappropriated within a 12-month period while he was in office.
“In Nigeria, if you lose $59.8 million in a year, federal and state governments will not pay salaries,” he said, adding that there is no way Nigerian budget can accommodate such a loss without the country coming to a standstill.
“Of course we brought international audit teams, forensic auditors and they didn’t see that,” he said.
The former President said he does not want to join issues with the new government, “I wanted to keep away from the public for at least twelve months.”