Ex-President Jonathan Makes 1 Billion Naira Metuh Demand

Former President Goodluck Jonathan asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to set aside the subpoena ordering him to appear in court as a witness to testify in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

Jonathan, then sought an alternative prayer,  an order directing Metuh to deposit with the court for and on behalf of him (Jonathan) the total sum of N1bn to cover travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel from his hometown, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, to Abuja.

The money, according to Jonathan is also to cover the time that he may spend appearing before the court as President of Nigeria between 2010 to 2015. Jonathan argued that his request was in line with the provisions of Section 241(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Following separate applications by Metuh, Justice Okon Abang had issued two separate subpoenas ordering Jonathan and the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to appear in court on Tuesday (today).

Justice Abang had while ordering Jonathan to appear in court today also ordered the court bailiff to ensure the service of the subpoena on Jonathan within five days.

Jonathan and Dasuki were summoned by the court upon applications by Metuh requesting that they are ordered to testify in his defence with respect to the sum of N400m which he was said to have received fraudulently from the Office of the NSA in 2014.