Immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has confirmed speculations in the public domain that he is currently under investigation for corruption.
Jonathan’s disclosure coincides with weeks of media reports that he may soon be invited by the anti-graft agencies over massive corruption that took place under his leadership between 2010 and 2015.
The former president, who spoke in an interview with Bloomberg in London, however, said he would not make further pronouncement until investigations were concluded.
He also delivered a speech titled “Civis Nigerianus Sum – I am a citizen of Nigeria”.
“Of course, obviously, I would be investigated. In fact I am being investigated. Investigations are going on. I would not want to make certain comments because government is working.
“It would not be proper for immediate past president to make certain statements”, Dr. Jonathan said.
The former president, who handed over power to President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015 following his defeat at last year’s general elections, hinged his decision not to make “serious comments” on the ongoing investigation to “allow the government do the work”.
“After all the investigations, the stories will be properly documented. I have just left office and I should allow the president and his team do what they think is best for the economy”, he added.
The former Nigerian leader also rubbished claims by the All Progressives Congress-led federal government that it inherited an empty treasury, saying that was not true.
“…there is no way that he (Buhari) would have inherited an empty treasury and at the same time give bailout to the states. It’s not possible.
“Nigeria is a fairly robust economy but sometimes, we over-politicise some issues and make it look so bad. It was not that bad. Some people ask questions like I was the president of Nigeria since independence; I was the president for 5 years”, he said.
According to Jonathan, since the fall of the first republic, it has been the norm in Nigeria for people to blame corruption for the nation’s woes just as any government that newly comes into power, must find what he called “issues” with the previous government.
Speaking on allegations that his administration could not tackle corruption in the oil sector, the ex-president said the same people that frustrated his government are the ones accusing the past government of corruption.
