Former President Goodluck Jonathan says he cannot speak on the current $2.1bn arms scam now because the matter is in court.A former National Security Adviser,
Sambo Dasuki; the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic
Party, Olisa Metuh, and others are currently standing trial for their
alleged role in the scam.Jonathan, however, said in due time, he would tell his own side of the story.
The former President said this in a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle on Wednesday.
He said, “My voice will certainly be
heard at the appropriate time regarding the alleged arms funds
mismanagement. I would not want to interfere with the proceedings by the
judicial system that my administration worked tirelessly to strengthen.
“My post-presidential focus is advancing
democracy and good governance in Africa. If we do not spend billions to
educate Africa’s youths today, we will spend it fighting insecurity
tomorrow.”
Speaking separately on ‘Security,
Education and Development in Africa’ at the Geneva Press Club in
Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jonathan lamented the high rate of illiteracy
in the North.
He said poor education was one of the factors promoting insecurity.
The former President, however, praised President Muhammadu Buhari for giving education a top priority in the 2016 budget.
Jonathan said, “Of course, charity
begins at home and for the future, what Nigeria needs is to focus on
making education a priority. Thankfully, the administration that
succeeded mine in its first budget appears to have seen wisdom in
continuing the practice of giving education the highest allocation. This
is commendable.
“I feel that what people in my position,
statesmen and former leaders, ought to be doing is to help build
consensus all over Africa, to ensure that certain issues should not be
politicised.
“Education is one of those issues. If
former African leaders can form themselves into an advisory group to
gently impress on incumbent leaders the necessity of meeting the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation recommended
allocation of 26 per cent of a nation’s annual budget on education, I am
certain that Africa will make geometric progress in meeting her
Millennium Development Goals and improving on every index of the Human
Development Index.”
The former President said he fought
terrorism to a large extent and ensured that many perpetrators were
arrested, prosecuted and jailed.
Punch
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