Former President Goodluck Jonathan has asked Abuja Federal
High Court to set aside the subpoena ordering him to appear in court.
Following several applications by Olisa Metuh, Justice Abang
Okon had ordered Jonathan to apply in court as a witness to testify in defence
of the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP.
The former President, in alternative, sought an order directing
Metuh to deposit with the court for and on his behalf the sum of N1bn to cover
travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel from his home town
in Bayelsa State, to Abuja.
Jonathan said the money was also to cover the time that he
might spend appearing before the court.
According to him, his request was in line with the
provisions of Section 241(2 ) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act,
2015.
Among the grounds of the motion filed on Monday by Chief
Mike Ozekhome, SAN, on behalf of Jonathan was that the evidence sought to be
obtained from Jonathan would amount to an invasion of his privacy, and family
life as provided for in Section 37 of the Constitution.
The ex-President further contended that the evidence sought
to be obtained from him was likely to expose him to a criminal charge, penalty
or forfeiture.
He argued that the subpoena was vague and obtained on
frivolous ground.
Jonathan added that the subpoena was obtained in bad faith
as it was meant to embarrass him.
According to Jonathan, Metuh was not his personal aide or an
appointee and so could not have dealt with him (Jonathan ) directly under any
circumstance to warrant the invitation of the applicant to testify in the
charge.
He also submitted that there was no nexus between him and
Metuh and the charge for which Metuh is standing trial.
The former President said he knew nothing about the charges
preferred against Metuh.
An affidavit filed in support of the motion read in part,
“That he (Jonathan ) as the then President of the Federal Republic (2010 – 2015
), appointed ministers and different persons to carry out the day-to-day
running of the government activities and such appointees are those who directly
related with the President and not third parties, such as the 2 nd respondent.
“That it is such appointees that can explain daily
government’s transactions which they directly supervised and not the President
who was the overall boss.
“That the 2 nd respondent, Olisa Metuh, was never at any
time a personal aide or appointee of the applicant.
“That he (Jonathan ) knows nothing about the seven charges
for which the 1 st defendant/ 2 nd respondent is standing trial before this
court and has absolutely nothing to testify about before this court.
“ The he, as a former President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, in the event that this honourable court refuses prayer one on the
motion paper, shall require the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (one billion naira)
only, to cover travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel, from
his home town Otuoke, in Bayelsa State, to Abuja, and also for logistics, and
provision of tight security to cover any period of time that he might spend
appearing before this court as President of Nigeria between 2010 and 2015."
I love the flexibility of the law.
GEJ has presented his fantastic estimate of One Billion Naira "ONLY".
The law is also very patient;
All parties in the suit are free to argue till 2019.
Seems "distraction syndrome" is highly contagious.
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