Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, on Thursday, called for the prosecution of former President Goodluck Jonathan if he’s found to have taken part in the $2.1 billion Dasukigate arms deal scandal.

Ndume, who stated this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja, questioned why people were making a big deal out of the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s trial of Senate president Bukola Saraki.

In the past, Senator Ndume has been accused of being a sponsor of terror group, Boko Haram -an allegation he denies.

“I do not want to dabble into that being one of the victims of the insurgency. My house was taken over by insurgents and my town was declared a caliphate of the insurgents. My Emir was killed while these people were smiling to the banks with the money that was meant to buy arms and ammunition. It was for lack of ammunition that the Nigerian Armed Forces had to run away.”

“As far as I am concerned, these people are living on blood money, the blood of so money innocent citizens of this country particularly from the North East. No justice is too much for them, nobody is supposed to be spared. Because the case is judicial and I am not a lawyer to determine who should be brought to book, what I am saying is that justice should be served.”

“Over 10,000 people have lost their lives, at one time you could see my people were slaughtered like chickens and the reason why this happened was because our army was not equipped and not well kitted. And somebody made away with the money meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition.”

“I am not defending President Jonathan but he approved that this money be used for procurement of arms. So if the law says he should be part of those that should be part of the accountability or those that should face justice, I think nobody should be spared. I really don’t want to make comment on that but anybody that is involved in that blood money should be held responsible.”

“If the President approved that money in the name of buying arms while giving a directive that it should be shared among his cronies, then he should face the law. If anybody is supposed to buy arms and you gave them money to buy arms, as the president, after some time you should ask `where are the arms anyway.”

“Let me add and clearly that is my position, if because of this or any other criminality Jonathan should face the law, he should, I did, I am facing the law. Nobody is supposed to be above the law, if Jonathan is a culprit he should face the law: if there is evidence that the former president should face the law then he should. After all, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Speaking on Senate President Bukola Saraki’s trial, Ndume said that: “Do you know that I am still in court on a more serious issue.”

“The President of the Senate is in court for assets declaration but I am in court for a more serious issue that I am alleged to be a sponsor of Boko Haram. I have been in court for four years so why is it not an issue. I have not complained, it is not a big deal. I am still the Leader of the Senate and my role is as important as that of the President of the Senate but it is not a big deal.”

“Why are you making his own case a big deal? I think the Nigerian press trivializes things, dramatises issues, and concentrates on events and personalities instead of ideas: does that help us?”

Mazi Emeka