I have no accounts or property abroad – Goodluck Jonathan

A former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, has again said that he has no account or property abroad.

Mr Jonathan said this in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement, signed by Ikechukwu Eze, spokesman to Mr Jonathan, was issued in response to moves by the Nigerian government to subpoena bank records purportedly belonging to Mr Jonathan and his wife, Patience.

“Our attention has been drawn to international media reports to the effect that the Federal Government of Nigeria has subpoenaed bank records for former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan in the United States of America,” Mr Eze said.

“We aver that the Federal Government of Nigeria did not contact Dr. Jonathan or his wife before issuing these subpoenas. If they had, we would have advised them of the fact that you cannot subpoena what does not exist.

“We also remind the public that on March 5, 2014, during the swearing in of new ministers, then President Jonathan said “I am loyal to Nigeria’s economy. I don’t have accounts or property abroad.”

The statement said that between the period Mr Jonathan made claims of not operating foreign account and now, nothing has changed with regards to the former president.