$31.4m: 'Patience Jonathan Not Above The Law'

The Acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has asked Nigeria’s former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to go clear her name before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) rather than resorting to under-hand tactics to arm-twist the anti-graft agency into doing her bidding.
Frank, in a statement issued, yesterday in Abuja, said the immediate-past first lady was not above the law, describing as shameful, threats by a Niger Delta militant group and the protest at the Port Harcourt zonal office of the EFCC in support of Mrs Jonathan, over the freezing of her dollar account containing about $31.4 million.
“My candid advice to Mrs Patience Jonathan is to apologize to Nigerians for the current economic hardship which Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s regime could have easily averted, instead of sponsoring shameless protests against the government; anyway, Nigerians are still waiting for the apology”, he said.
The statement warned the youth to desist from such shameless act of defending politicians for a pot of porridge, adding that the present APC administration was fighting corruption so as to secure the future for them.
Frank, a native of Bayelsa State, said it was surprising that Mrs Jonathan had such an amount of money in her custody while people from her region were dying from water-borne diseases, saying, it took President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for example, to recently commission a water project even in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, the hometown of the former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The show of shame called protest at the Port Harcourt office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to demand the unfreezing of Mrs Jonathan’s dollar accounts was uncalled for, and there is nothing wrong if the former first lady explains the source of $31.4 million to the anti-corruption agency.
“The country is at present going through recession as a result of the mismanagement of the economy left behind by Patience Jonathan’s husband-led administration which APC is working hard to correct as soon as possible.
“It should be made clear that there is nothing wrong for EFCC to invite Mrs Patience Jonathan for questioning, if the organization suspects a foul play in accumulation of such big amount of money.
“Again, the era of being above the law is over. This is a change government of accountability where the rule of law is paramount. The number four citizen of this country today, Senate President Bukola Saraki, whose office is prominently recognized by the Constitution, is facing trial not to talk of one former first lady which the Nigerian Constitution does not recognize.
“Again, we should also remind those who have forgotten that a national leader of APC, who was once the vice president of this nation, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was once investigated. So, why must Mrs Jonathan’s case be different?
“We call on the leadership of the EFCC not to feel threatened in carrying out its official duty, and ensure that whoever is caught in the web is properly brought to book”, he concluded.