The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has urged President Buhari not to humiliate former president, Goodluck Jonathan if he is found guilty of stealing public funds and agrees to return the money.
The NEF however said that Jonathan should be imprisoned if it is proven that he looted but he refuses to return the funds, Punch reports.
The comments were made by the NEF’s Deputy National Leader, Dr Paul Unongo via a telephone interview on Monday, January 25, 2016.
“There are three points to make on the arms probe. The first is that Jonathan deserves a special consideration for his contribution to democratic culture in Nigeria and for enabling us to avert a national crisis by conceding defeat during the general elections. He also mobilised support for the present government. Jonathan was great in defeat. He is a hero for doing this,” he said.
“Secondly, if the anti-graft agency can prove beyond reasonable doubt that he diverted public funds and if Jonathan agrees to return the stolen funds, he should not be humiliated but he should be given due consideration.
“Thirdly, if it is proved by a transparent process that he stole the country’s money and he refuses to return it, then the law should take its course, whether he is a former President or not. He should be prosecuted and jailed. This is important in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
“I think President Buhari is trying to be careful in not summoning Jonathan so far. I don’t believe there was an agreement President Buhari had not to probe Jonathan as being reported,” Unongo added.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained that it has not arrested Jonathan because there is no evidence of wrongdoing against him.
Corruption under Jonathan’s government has been a major subject of discussion in recent times after it was alleged that officials misappropriated funds meant for Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram.
The discovery was made by a special panel constituted by Buhari to investigate arms purchases in the country from 2007-2015.
Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki is at the fore of the investigations and is alleged to have supervised the alleged laundering of $2 billion funds meant for the procurement of arms.
He was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on December 1, 2015 and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the day after.
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