Against the backdrop of the comments and actions linked to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in relation to the seized financial assets of Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of the former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, by the EFCC on yet to be substantiated allegations of money laundering, which have led to an unprecedented opprobrium and damaging public spectacle of the reputation of the former first family, it has become imperative given the manifest falsehood, high level conspiracy and strategic victimisation of the former first family, that we, the Brotherhood Across the Niger, BAN, if for nothing, for the imminent posterity of Nigeria’s sake and given our investigation, set the records straight:
Claim of $31 Million Dollars Is False
We state categorically that at no time did Mrs. Jonathan claim ownership of any $ 31 million and that it is a clear fabrication by the EFCC, and, by extension, the Federal Government of Nigeria to inspire an unwholesome campaign of calumny and media trial against her and by effect, her husband, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who has been living a quiet and peaceful life since he conceded defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Her claims are unambiguous and are the following:
1. Mrs. Jonathan’s claims ownership of the monies lodged in 4 Skye Bank accounts in the name of Pluto Property and Investment Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited and Globus Integrated Services limited, but not the ownership of the said companies.
2. Her claim of the monies in the said Skye Bank accounts is based on instructions and monies given to an aide, Mr. Waripamo Dudafa, to open card-bearing accounts for her and her dependants’ use, especially during foreign trips for medical and related ancillary matters, rather than the recourse to the use of cash. The said instruction was carried out by Mr. Dudafa but with companies allegedly owned by him. Mrs. Jonathan in a suit brought before the Court has averred that on seeing the names of the companies on the cards, she gave a counter instruction to Mr. Dudafa and Skye Bank and, indeed, did fill out forms to change the account names to hers being signatory to them. Our investigations show that she was even debited for the service. Why the bank reversed the order by Mrs. Jonathan, their client, to carry out that simple instruction, which it charged her for, and refused to issue her new cards remain matters they would have to substantiate.
3. The cumulative value of the monies in the four Skye Bank accounts that Mrs. Jonathan claims is less than ten million dollars (below $10 million). The report credited to the EFCC that the monies were in excess of $30 million is completely false, malicious and misleading. The EFCC is challenged to provide public evidence of its claim of $31 million lodged in Skye Bank in the aforementioned company names.
Skye Bank’s Silence Is Conspiratorial
Given the silence of Skye Bank to openly and officially clarify on the raging controversies surrounding the entire charade, we are left with the reasonable conclusion that authorities within the bank, if not the entire establishment, are compromised to rubbish and undermine the reputation of the Jonathans. This further raises questions on the integrity of bank’s business principles against the protection of its customers no matter how lowly or highly placed they are in society. By its conspiratorial silence on the matter with its attendant damaging effect on the reputation of the Jonathans, Skye Bank has not only compromised and breached its fidelity to its customers but it’s very brand and integrity. If Mrs. Jonathan can be easily and readily conspired against by the bank, which customer is protected?
The Agenda of the Federal Government
As several actions portray, we are left with no choice but to agree with prevailing public sentiments that the current government is bent on denting the reputation of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and containing his rising clout as an international statesman, just to give credibility to its compromised, biased and sectional fight against corruption and gain political mileage. The plot, it appears, is to use this issue and other falsehoods, to generate enough public angst against the former first family to sufficiently damage their reputation in the guise of fighting corruption.
It is important to state, that while the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, has publicly confirmed that Mrs. Jonathan is being investigated for money laundering, no case has been instituted against her in any court in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. Mrs. Jonathan is only being victimised with manifest falsehood because Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a man who made the single most important decision in Nigeria’s recent political history, has to be brought down and destroyed completely. It is a clear case of victimisation and political witch-hunt with the complete cooperation of Skye Bank.
The conspiracy is further heightened by the action of the EFCC in producing fake directors of the said companies, unknown to known Secretaries of the companies, to plead guilty in order to nail the Jonathans. Never in the history of the country has an agency with such high stake and public expectations, act like a criminal syndicate rather than an agency saddled with the critical duty of tackling corruption.
To this end, we are compelled, given the dangerous dimensions of this conspiratorial matter and many others of its kind, targeted at either the Jonathans or associates of theirs, to draw the attention of the Federal Government that Nigerians will not sacrifice Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his entire concerns on the altar of vindictive politics.
BAN remains committed to promoting democracy and good governance and will go to all legitimate lengths to ensure the Buhari-led government is not allowed to further plunge Nigeria down the precipice beyond its current excruciating economic travails.
BAN in committing to upholding the integrity of the country, will henceforth summon international partnerships in protecting the rights of minorities in Nigeria against the plaguing fundamentalist assault of the Buhari led government against them.
BAN reminds the Buhari-led Government that no amount of falsehood, criminal fabrications and malicious schemes will detract from the value and legacy of the Jonathan era and advises the government, in its best interest, to end the victimisation of the Jonathans and focus on building transnational economic partnerships, change its condescending rhetoric about Nigeria and past leaders, promote national rebirth, cohesion and sound fiscal policies in order to boost investors’ confidence in the country.
BAN has noted with dismay, like the vast majority of Nigerians, the flagrant disregard for the principle of diversity and social inclusion by the Buhari-led government and has elected to engage stakeholders and the National Assembly to invoke the sacred powers invested on the federation to cleanse the pervading nuisance of misgovernance and the Aegean stable of maladministration plaguing the nation, and, in so doing, perpetually put an end to the vindictive politics of the Buhari-led government because Nigerians deserve better.
May God bless Nigeria and save her from her real enemies.
Signed for: Brotherhood Across The Niger
Igwechi Chukwuka
Eastern Division Lead
Hassan Musa Abd’l
Northern Division Lead
Ojugbo Clifford
Southern Division Lead
Kunle Coker
Western Division Lead
