The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mohammed Umar Abba, has received an order from the Federal Government, to make available details of all cases concerning former first lady, Patience Jonathan.
According to Daily Independent, a presidency source revealed that Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, gave the directive and extended it to include relatives of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to the source, the directive may be ominous but Dayo Apata, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, has communicated the government’s position to the EFCC.
The source said that the EFCC is expected to give a comprehensive update of investigation into cases involving Patience Jonathan and relations of the former president, the status of the trial of all the cases, the status of recovered funds, and other assets involved in the cases.
The source also said even if there are other charges to be filed against Patience Jonathan and the former president’s relations as well as funds or assets still being targeted, that all would be sent to the Federal Government by the EFCC.
According to the source, the Federal Government is desirous this year to ensure the diligent and timely prosecution of all corruption cases, saying this would be part of that effort.
It would be recalled that on July 1, 2019, the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of N9.2 billion and $8.4 million belonging to Patience Jonathan.
Another presidency source, who spoke with Daily Independent on Sunday, said this move may be intended to rubbish Goodluck Jonathan, who even though lately had been associating with President Muhammadu Buhari, is said to be nursing a presidential ambition in 2023.
There have been speculations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is considering fielding Jonathan in the 2023 presidential election to serve a single term.
He has served a term as president on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The source said following his private meeting with some APC governors in Abuja, some people in the presidency are not happy over the development.
This may be their way of getting their pound of flesh and scuttling any future arrangement that may favour Jonathan in 2023, the source noted.
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