** I encourage US authorities to cooperate fully with the Nigeria’s subpoena.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied owning any foreign accounts that its details could be requested for, as the Federal Government of Nigeria asked a court in New York, the US, to compel 10 foreign banks to release to it account details of Jonathan, his wife, Patience, and the then Minister of Petroleum Resources in his administration, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
In a statement by his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, the ex-President said he or his wife was not contacted before the request for the documents was filed by the Federal Government.
Eze stated, “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.
“… 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.”
“We are confident in stating that between that time and now, nothing has changed with regards to Dr Goodluck Jonathan. He has no accounts in the United States of America, and encourages US authorities to cooperate fully with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s subpoena.”
Bloomberg reports that the banks from whom the Federal Government is seeking the documents include, Citigroup and JPMorgan, as well as the New York branches of Deutsche Bank AG and United Bank for Africa Plc.
The Federal Government’s request was contained in an application filed at the foreign court on March 24 asking for the bank documents.
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