Jonathan Denies Fleeing to Cote d’Ivoire On Exile as EFCC says Ex-President is Not Yet a Target

Jonathan Denies Fleeing to Cote d’Ivoire On Exile as EFCC says Ex-President is Not Yet a Target

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to reports claiming he is on exile in West African country; Cote d’Ivoire, describing it as both untrue and malicious.

An influential national newspaper had claimed that Jonathan was in Cote d’Ivoire, to seek refuge from the gale of corruption arrests and prosecution which has already claimed a number of significant persons from his administration as president.

The Nation reports that Jonathan who admitted he is presently in Cote d’Ivoire told the newspaper, “I’m not on exile. I have no cause to go on exile. It is a wicked and malicious report.

“I was Vice President for two years and President for six years. I did everything I could and I served my country very well. This is what they keep saying anytime I’m outside the country. I was in Ecuador; they said I was on exile. This is my second time in Cote d’Ivoire and I’m rounding off my visit.

“It is a wicked attempt to link me with the renewed Niger Delta crisis.”

The former president assured members of his former cabinet that he was not on exile in Cote d’Ivoire and would not run away from any problem in the country let alone go on exile.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday said that although Jonathan had been implicated in all transactions under its investigation, the ex-president was not yet its target.

The federal government is said to be equally investigating the report and has dispatched an operative of one of its intelligence agencies to Cote d’Ivoire to verify the report.