Dasukigate: I Don’t Believe Dasuki Stole $2.2bn – GEJ

Lordson Okpetu

Former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) has disagreed with the allegeations that his former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, diverted $2.2bn of the money meant for arms purchase.

Speaking at the Oxford Union, Oxford United Kingdom, on the subject of promoting youth entrepreneurship, Jonathan argued that it was impossible for Mr. Dasuki to have stolen $2.2 billion after his administration procured several types of equipment for the country’s military.

“They said the National Security Adviser stole $2.2billion. I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion. We bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on and so forth and you are still saying $2.2 billion, so where did we get the money to buy all those things?” asked Goodluck Jonathan while responding to a question about the alleged missing arms procurement fund.

It’s impossible for Dasuki to steal $2.2bn

“Yes, there were some issues; yes, there are still corruption issues; but some of it were blown, I’d say exaggerated, and they give a very bad impression about our nation. You cannot say the national security adviser stole $2.2billion. It is not just possible,” says the former president in admittance that corruption was actually an issue during his administration.

The former president on the platform of PDP continues, “One thing about the issue of corruption is that these matters are in court, let’s allow some of these processes to end. Lately, some judges’ (homes) were also invaded. There are so many things involved, and we have to follow up these matters to a conclusion before we know the fact.

“I don’t want to be seen as a former president that is challenging what the sitting government is doing. So, I have decided to keep quiet for the court to look into them,” he said.

No country is free of corruption

Mr. Jonathan further argues that no country is free of corruption. He said, “I am not saying there is no corruption in Nigeria; there is corruption. If you look at corruption there is almost no country that is free, the degree varies, the perception varies.

“Transparency International talks about the way corruption is perceived in different economies. Why do we talk about the way corruption is being perceived, it depends on the issue raised in the media every day,” he said.