Oshiomhole Says GEJ & Okonjo-Iweala Should be Prosecuted for $2.1 Billion Arms Deal Saga

In a recent interview with Leadership, Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, is said to have stated that the government should prosecute former president Goodluck Jonathan an ex finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for “approving spending of funds from the excess crude account without appropriation by the National Assembly.”

Oshiomhole argues that Jonathan and the former minister should be made to face law since it had been proven that they both made approvals for which billions of dollars released for the procurement of arms for counter-terrorism operations under Jonathan.

He made the statements in relation to the current $2.1 billion illegal arms deal saga  former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki; Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa, and former chairman, DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, are currently being probed by the EFCC for.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

“The issue is whether the Nigerian President under the constitution has the power to approve funds belonging to local, state and federal government- funds that have not been appropriated by the National Assembly. That is a criminal offense for which Okonjo-Iweala ought to face criminal prosecution. These things are just discussed and wished away. For me, I will stick for the truth and don’t care what people will say.

Talking about revelation, look at the letter credited to Dasuki – the immediate past National Security Adviser. In his defence which I read in your paper, he seems to admit that money was spent but it was approved by the President. Does the Nigerian constitution empower the President to spend money which has not been appropriated by the National Assembly? And they took cash from the CBN. The Money Laundering Act says if you take cash in excess of N5 million transaction, it is money laundering and it is criminal.

So, by Dasuki’s letter, he has also confirmed that Okonjo-Iweala is a privy to spending money never appropriated and therefore criminal, and that cash were being moved contrary to the money laundering act. Just using Dasuki’s own defence, you can see a case of conspiracy has been established between Dasuki, Okonjo-Iweala and all those involved in that transaction.”