…says Buhari did not inherit empty treasury
The immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan, has for the first time since he left office a little over year ago defended his legacy, saying that his administration which has been so much vilified by the incumbent administration did its bit in the fight against corruption.
Jonathan also denied the now popular line by President Muhammadu Buhari administration that the country’s Treasury was left empty when he handed over power last year.
The former president also said he is being investigated for corruption by the adminstration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Jonathan spoke in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg Tv, in London.
President Muhammadu Buhari has consistently accused the previous administration of looting billions of dollars and leaving the country’s finances “virtually empty.”
But Jonathan disagrees. “There’s no way he would have inherited an empty Treasury,” Jonathan said in the interview. “It’s not possible.” Nigeria’s economy is contracting after a decline in the price of Brent by about half since the middle of 2014. Crude exports accounted in 2014 for as much as two-thirds of government revenue, with most state budgets relying on monthly handouts from the federal administration.
Asked about corruption in Nigeria, Jonathan said, “I cannot say the country from the beginning of our independence, that there was no corruption, yes there has been corruption.
“I did very well also, to curtail corruption.
“My approach to corruption, was ‘don’t make money available for anyone to touch.
“We made sure that area of fertiliser subsidies was cleaned up,and the whole corruption there was removed.
“I tried to do the same in the oil industry, but the very people that were accusing us of corruption, were the same people frustrating it, its unfortunate.
Asked if he was being investigated for corruption, Jonathan answer in the affirmative.
“Obviously, I’m being investigated”.
Asked if he would be found guilty of corrupt practices, Jonathan said “I wouldn’t want to make certain comments because, when a government is working, its not proper for immediate past President to make certain statements.
“I will allow the government to do the work its supposed to do.
“I wouldn’t want to make serious comments on that, its not proper.
“After all these investigations, the whole stories will be properly chronicled.
“I’ve just left office, and I should allow the President and his team to do what they believe is good for the country.
Giving reasons why he conceded defeat easily, he said: “I said before the last election that my political ambition was not worth the blood of one Nigerian.
“I was true to my word when on March 16, 2015, just after the election, when the results were still being collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, I called my opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, to concede, in order to avoid any conflict and ensure a peaceful transition of power.
“This was without precedent in my country and I am proud that it achieved my goal of no conflict arising from the result of the election.
“Some may think, it is ironic that perhaps my proudest achievement was not winning the 2015 presidential election.
“By being the first elected Nigerian leader to willingly hand over power via the ballot box, to the opposition party; without contesting the election outcome, I proved to the ordinary man or woman in the country that I was his or her equal.
“That his or her vote was equal to mine and that democracy is the government by the will of the people, and that Nigeria, and indeed Africa is ripe for democracy. It is my sincerest wish that democracy is being consolidated in the continent of Africa and it will even get better.
“For it has always been my consistent desire to help consolidate peace and cultivate democracy in Nigeria and across the continent.
“In fact, it was the key foreign policy objective of my administration when we were able to help broker peace and restore democracy in Niger, Mali, Guinea Bissau and Cote d’Ivoire”, he said.
