Immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday indicate why he has maintained a studied silence on the $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal currently being probed by his successor, President Muhammdu Buhari.

Addressing the Geneva Press Corps and other international journalists, Jonathan indicated that the time has not come for him to speak on the controversy, to which his name has been linked by some of those on trial, leading to calls in some quarters for his interrogation.

Asked to comment on the scandal, Jonathan replied: “When issues are before the court the law demands you don’t comment on it. Definitely I speak on but let’s allow law to take its course.”

The former Nigerian leader rubbished the claim by Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that 55 Nigerians stole over N1 trillion of government funds between 2006 and 2013. Going back to the allegation of erstwhile CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi Lamido (now Emir of Kano), Jonathan said: “One day the then Central Bank Governor woke up and said $48 billion dollars was stolen. Two days later he said it was $12 billion few days again he said it was $20 billion and the opposition started trumpeting it. Now, the same people are saying it was $5.6 billion. What are we going to believe? Well, they said some individuals and 20 governors; why don’t they name them?”

Jonathan, who was in Geneva to receive an award from the Circle of Diplomats, used the opportunity to comment on is legacy as President. On why he built 12 new universities, he said: “If we don’t spend billions in educating our youths we will spend billions fighting crime.”

Asked why he handed over power to Buhari without going to court, he replied: “It takes a sacrifice to build a nation.”

On the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jonathan had this to say: “I tried to build institutions in Nigeria, including the one that conducted the last election and others. As a President it was within my prerogative to sack (then INEC Chairman Attahiru) Jega if I had bad intentions. But I tried to establish institutions and lived by the example of my conviction.”

On electricity power, he said: “I am happy that Nigerians today are enjoying improved power supply. We did the biggest privation in Africa, if not the world.”

On some people blaming him for so many things, the former President said: “I was only president for five years but some people talk as if I have been president since independence.”

•Photo by Peter Agba Kalu shows Ex-President shortly after receiving the award from the Circle of Diplomats . . . yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland.

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