Probe: Jonathan Shuns Former Ministers, Aides

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan

Amid growing concerns over President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to probe the administration of his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the former president has restricted former ministers and other top officials who served under him, from getting access to him. New Telegraph learnt at the weekend that some top officials of his administration had been trying to put pressure on him to reach out to the president to soft pedal on the impending probe, which could unearth a can of worms on the activities of the previous administration.

New Telegraph report continues:

It was gathered that Jonathan was angry with most of those who served directly under him that “sterling revelations concerning their activities, especially as regards improper financial dealings, were beginning to emerge” after leaving office. This development, a source said, had created a crisis of confidence between the former president and his associates. According to the source close to the former first family, Jonathan shortly after his return from his short vacation in the United Kingdom, after handing over, ordered his security aides not to allow anyone who served under him either as a minister or in any other capacity, “unfettered access” to him.

The source said: “All those reports that the former ministers and aides were angry with him (Jonathan) cannot be ruled out because shortly after the handing over, most of them started cooking up one story or the other to create a situation that would have led to the former president confronting his successor on some issues. “Basically, even though it was not out of place for the former president to do a self-appraisal after leaving office, he decided to take it calm and keep a bit of distance from most of his ministers and aides.

“The reason was that even if there was the need to still keep themselves together, the man was later to realise that most of the ministers and aides were trying to use such an avenue for oneness to cover their dirty deals that were unknown to the former president. “For instance, it is scandalous that a former minister was alleged to have stolen the sum of $6 billion; could that have been with the knowledge of the principal? I doubt it because it could have been a gradual process that may have accumulated to that amount.

“In all honesty, does it not look ridiculous for such a minister to be in the same ring with the former president all in the name of oneness or togetherness? “For now, just as Dr. Jonathan has decided to continue to look without talking on issues raised by the General Buhari administration, he has also decided to also keep all ministers and aides who have anything to hide or who may have done one questionable thing or the other at arm’s length. “That is the decision and I think it will give room for the government of the day to really differentiate who is who because as president, it was impossible for him to know all what his aides or ministers did. “But if there is enough evidence, let everyone bear his father’s name without dragging the name of the former president into matters he may not have a hand in.

“So, the anger that he has not called any meeting of his associates is not just misplaced, but hypocritical because most of those who are today saying so were doing behind-thescene mischief, especially during the race for the Senate minority leadership. “The former president met informally with some of the party’s leaders, but what happened? He was stabbed in the back as they refused to listen to him in the choice of someone and that has already generated bad blood between friends.” Besides, it was also learnt that Jonathan and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, now a senator, are engaged in a cold war over the choice of Senate minority leader.

The source said Jonathan was not happy with Akpabio over his alleged refusal not to vie for the position, which he eventually clinched. The former president and his wife, Patience, were said to have favoured Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers) for the Senate minority leadership. But Akpabio, after his endorsement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South Caucus in the Senate, emerged the Senate minority leader.