“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money were withdrawn from the treasury by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.”