NLC tells Patience Jonathan to explain how she got the $15m traced her account

As reactions continue to trail the $15 million traced to the accounts of Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has dared the wife of the former President, to explain how she made the $31m found in some accounts.

The said accounts were recently frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, while addressing newsmen on the sidelines of ‘NLC National Youth Conference’ in Abuja on Tuesday, said the former First Lady had a responsibility to prove to Nigerians that the money in question was legitimately earned and not through illegitimate means.

The NLC leader said the former First Lady would have been made to forfeit the money to the government in other countries.

He urged the government to extend the fight against corruption to states and local government areas in the country.

“We have said it over and over again that NLC is the first organisation that actually supported openly the anti-graft war. We said recover, investigate and prosecute so that it can serve as a deterrent.

“Our position has been clear on the issue of the frozen $31m. In this respect, the onus of prove is on the ex-First Lady. First, she must inform all of us the sources of the money.

“She must explain what business she has done to accumulate such wealth. In other climes, people would have forfeited such funds. This is our position and we have always been consistent about it.

“If you look at it critically, that is why we are where we are today. Salaries are not paid in many states not because the resources are not there but because of the inherent corruption in the system.

“Corruption fight should also be extended to states and local governments. Wherever there is element of corruption, whoever is involved, the law must take its course.

“There should be investigation. There should be fair trial within the confines of the law and whoever is found wanting, those funds should be recovered and prosecution should follow to serve as a deterrent.”