Buhari’s corruption war may not suceed if Jonathan isn't prosecuted – AFP

Agence France-Presse (AFP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to prosecute his predecessor, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, for corruption, if he wants his anti-corruption war to succeed. While acknowledging the fact that many people have been put on trial for corruption, the news agency noted that the anti-corruption efforts may not be productive if Jonathan was not brought in as a key witness to testify against those standing trial.

The European news agency wrote that: “It would be easy to believe that Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari is winning the war against corruption since his landmark election victory nearly a year ago. Hardly a week goes by without the country’s anti-graft agency announcing new arrests and investigations to add to the prominent politicians already in the dock.”

“But the longer the cases already brought to court drag on, the clearer it becomes that a potential setback could prevent Buhari from securing the convictions he has promised and Nigerians demand.”
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not implicated the former head of state in any of its ongoing investigations.”

“But his glaring absence is increasingly posing problems for state prosecutors as the preliminary stages of cases are heard in court and trials get under way.”While citing the ongoing trial of Olisa Metuh, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, AFP stated that: “He was only acting on Jonathan’s orders and last week argued he should be acquitted because the former president has not been called to the stand.”

In a similar vein, the agency cited the trial of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, of the infamous Armsgate scandal.“One lawyer working for Sambo Dasuki, Nigeria’s former national security advisor, has also hinted at pursuing a similar defence.”

“Dasuki, who is accused of diverting the weapons procurement cash through his office via bogus defence contracts, has himself said he was only doing the bidding of the then-commander-in-chief – Jonathan”

AFP added that: “Buhari has previously warned the country’s monied elite it was no longer business as usual, but with Nigeria in economic crisis as a result of the collapsing price of oil, analysts say Buhari can ill afford to alienate Jonathan and his allies, even if it threatens success in court.”