$2.1b Arms Scandal: Buhari Will Grant Audience To Jonathan If The Need Arises – Presidency

jonathan-buhari11The Presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari is not averse to receiving and listening to the side of former President Goodluck Jonathan in relation to the multi-billion dollar arms procurement fraud that has been uncovered under his administration.

Former officials of the Jonathan administration including the erstwhile National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, are currently undergoing trial for alleged misappropriation and diversion of over $2.1 billion arms deal fraud, which most of those indicted in investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, claimed they were acting on instructions from the former president.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, stated that Mr. Buhari would be open to clarifications from his predecessor.

Speaking in interview on Saturday, Mr. Adesina said the president would grant audience to his predecessor if he requests it, in view of the revelations coming from the EFCC’s probe of the arms scandal.

The presidential spokesman because of Buhari’s belief in decency and civility, he would not shut out his predecessors, even if some people had done so in the past.

“A former President should always have access to a sitting one”, he said. “It would be uncouth and indecent to shut out a former occupant of such lofty office. If some people did it to their predecessors in the past, it is not this President who believes in decency and civility”.

“Yes, President Buhari will always grant audience to former President Jonathan, if there is any request for such. A rebuff does not come into the picture at all”, Adesina stated.