Even after leaving power, some Nigerians still believe that former
President Goodluck Jonathan headed the most corrupt government in the
history of the country.
Jonathan is often alleged to have supplied the oxygen for the malfeasance
in his administration.
But the former president says some Nigerians who accuse him of corruption
are the most corrupt.
In an advance copy of ‘Against the Run of Play’, a book which details how
the former president lost the 2015 election, written by Segun Adeniyi and
seen by TheCable, Jonathan said those who were quick to make allegations
of corruption against other people harboured loads of the virus.
“By virtue of being President of Nigeria, I have come to know so many
things about so many people,” he said.
“Some of the most corrupt Nigerians are the ones who speak most loudly
about corruption. Once you have access to the media in Nigeria, you have
the liberty to accuse others of corruption regardless of what you are
doing.”
Also, one of the issues for which Jonathan was pilloried was his refusal
to publicly declare his assets as the late Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, his
predecessor, did.
But in the book, he said it was a matter of conviction for him, and that
he had advised Yar’ Adua against it.
“I remember I told the late President Yar’ Adua that it was wrong to
declare our assets publicly and I explained why,” he said.
“I told him that the drafters of the law knew what they were doing when
they wrote the provisions the way they did, such that assets of public
officials have to include that of their spouses.
“Imagine a businessman whose wife was invited into government and she has
to declare (hers and husband’s) assets publicly. I told him that what the
law required was to declare and those who have questions can then apply
the same law to find out.”
He accused the media of bias for supposedly not harassing President
Muhammadu Buhari whom he said did not publicly declare his assets as he
promised.
“The same media and civil society that attacked me kept quiet when
President Buhari refused to make public his asset declaration form as he
promised,” Jonathan said.
“In my own case, I was attacked for not doing what I never promised.”
The former president also said he dealt with corruption in his
administration, citing his sacking of Stella Oduah, former minister of
aviation, after she was indicted.
“You know Stella Oduah played a prominent role in my campaign in 2011. But
when the investigation I ordered was carried out and the indictment was
confirmed, I had to relieve her of her position,” he said.
“Up till today Stella hates me for her removal. No doubt, it was a very
hard decision for me to take, but that was what leadership demanded.”