Paden: Buhari has incriminating evidence to jail Jonathan
John Paden, the authorised biographer of President Muhammadu Buhari, says the president had evidence to put former President Goodluck Jonathan in jail for corruption, but he did not want to do so.
In his book, ‘Muhammadu Buhari: Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria,’ Paden, a professor of international studies, wrote that Buhari was more concerned about recovering stolen funds than about jailing anybody.
He said Buhari had letters in his possession showing Jonathan’s request for off-budget funds.
Buhari recently praised Jonathan’s “patriotism” for the post-election stability in 2015 and it would appear – from Paden’s account – that the president was concerned about the political implications of putting his predecessor on trial.
“As of the early months of 2016, it appeared that the EFCC was not going after Jonathan. Nor was it going after former president Obasanjo. The question of the stability of the entire political system seemed at stake,” Paden wrote in chapter 20, page 203.
“In addition, a number of senior military officers who had served as head of state – from Babangida to Abubakar – seemed off limits. Indeed, rumours swirled that if the probes went after senior officers, they might push back, because they had extensive networks in the active military services.
“At the same time, the knowledge such heavyweights possessed could well be traded for immunity, and would help to illuminate the patterns and sources of corruption. Buhari had letters in his possession showing Jonathan’s requests for off-budget funds. But Buhari’s larger purpose was not to put former high-level officials in jail. Rather, it was to retrieve stolen funds and to change the political culture of the country.”
The president’s biographer in chapter 8, page 67 also alleged that Jonathan withdrew “enormous” funds from the treasury as the March 28 presidential election approached.
“The threat of postelection violence was palpable. There would be winners and losers, quite likely with a regional or ethnoreligious profile. The international community was deeply concerned. Was Nigeria on the brink? High level diplomatic demarches were made to both candidates. A highly publicised ‘Peace Accord’ was signed by Jonathan and Buhari. But would they be able to control grassroots supporters,” he wrote, explaining events leading to the election.
“As March 28 approached, enormous sums of money were withdrawn from the treasury by the incumbents.”
Oya let PMB try it!
Mr. Paden, let me tell you that Buhari is not Alpha & Omega of Nigeria, therefore cannot just dump anyone into prison. There are laws and courts in this country that must find someone guilty of an offence before any Nigerian can be sent to jail. Those letters in buhari’s possession are mere allegations, so Buhari is not doing Jonathan any favours by not probing him. Jonathan is not a theif, if he is Buhari would have gone after him long time ago because Buhari is full of vengeance. If Buhari and other enemies of Jonathan think they have so much to put Jonathan behind the bars let them present them before a court of competent jurisdiction. I don’t fancy this attitude of thinking that Nigerians are fools or illiterates by saying that Buhari could have sent Jonathan to prison. Is Buhari a court of law. Buhari can only do that through his arbitrariness, but be rest assured that if Buhari displays or extend those his arbitrariness to Jonathan, there shall be severe consequences. Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians.
Can this Mr. Paden speak in such manner of a sitting president in his country or any other western nation sending a citizen to prison without recourse to due process? I’m saying this because Mr. Paden by the way and manner he spoke or his presentation in that biography created the impression that Buhari can with just a wave of hands send Former President, His excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to jail. And I said, he can’t do that, that is IMPOSSICANT, it’s double impossibility. Impossibility + Impossibility = IMPOSSICANT.
This is cheap blackmail and slander that can only happen in a banana republic.
Since when did buhari become judge, jury and executioner?
This is highly libelous.
“In addition, a number of senior military officers who had served as head of state – from Babangida to Abubakar – seemed off limits. Indeed, rumours swirled that if the probes went after senior officers, they might push back, because they had extensive networks in the active military services.
“At the same time, the knowledge such heavyweights possessed could well be traded for immunity, and would help to illuminate the patterns and sources of corruption. Buhari had letters in his possession showing Jonathan’s requests for off-budget funds. But Buhari’s larger purpose was not to put former high-level officials in jail. Rather, it was to retrieve stolen funds and to change the political culture of the country.”
Does Prof. Paden know that the above statement alone could have landed Buhari himself in serious trouble in an unjeopardized legal system, with public prosecutors going after him for either aiding or abating corruption which he claimed to be fighting to standstill by shielding corrupt officials from prosecution or for false incrimination? In doing your paid job next time, please just be a little more careful with your analysis Prof. Paden. Thanks
Looks like John Paden is mistaking PMB for Pilate, or Herod who could take off the head of John the Baptist at will.
A close watch of Buhari suggest’s that he’s really working at shedding off the toga of arbitrariness of his military days. Not easy at 73… let’s keep praying for him.