Buhari's adviser on corruption Prof Sagay urges Goodluck to come clean on arms deal

FORMER president Dr Goodluck Jonathan has been advised to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and confess all he knows about the $2bn arms scandal by the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption Professor Itse Sagay.   In
August, President Buhari named Professor Sagay at the head of a new committee to advise him on how to deal with graft in public life.
Given the scale of corruption that took place under the administration of Dr Jonathan, it has been deemed impossible to prosecute everyone and Professor Sagay has advised politicians to enter onto plea bargains under which they return funds in exchange for leniency.  

Over the few weeks, there has been a big furore over the extent of corruption in the Nigerian military with it emerging that billions set aside to purchase arms went to other uses. Former national security adviser Retired Col Sambo Dasuki at the centre of the storm has been alleged to have been involved in distributing money to government officials and Peoples Democratic Party officials.  

Dr Jonathan has maintained that he knows nothing of the payments but unconvinced, Professor Sagay said that if Dr Jonathan could provide adequate information, he would be accorded the adequate respect by virtue of being a former head of state.  Daar Communications chairman Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who has been arrested in connection with the case, claimed to be acting on instructions from above.  

When asked if Dr Jonathan could be arrested despite his soaring popularity in the international community for conceding defeat in the March 28 presidential election and congratulating President Buhari, Professor Sagay said the issue was a sensitive one. He argued, however, that conceding defeat to President Buhari did not make Dr Jonathan a hero as one good action could not correct several evil actions.   Professor Sagay said: “To start with, the great reputation he seems to have is the fact that he admitted defeat. There are thousands of actions that are negative actions so I don’t think that we should overplay it.  

“However, on the issue of the former president going to prison, I agree that it is a bit touchy politically but the case of Jonathan is particularly bad if you see the manner with which the country’s resources and government coffers have been turned into a bazaar parlour where everyone goes to collect his own share.

Just like Warri boys would ask, You don obtain your own?"   He advised that Dr Jonathan should have a private chat with President Buhari and say all that he knows and if there is anything he has to release, then he should release it and be allowed to go quietly into retirement.

Professor Sagay also said that under President Buhari, people would be made to spend more time in jail rather than be given light sentences as has been the case in the past when corrupt officials were allowed to spend their sentences in hospital.


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