The embattled former National Publicity Secretary to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh has expressed his belief that the N1 billion former President Goodluck Jonathan requested was meant to frustrate his effort at obtaining evidence that will assist him in the defence of his case.
He further told the court that he cannot afford the sum of N1 billion to give Jonathan to appear as his defence.
It will be recalled that Former President Goodluck Jonathan has earlier asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel Metuh, to pay N1billion to cover his travel expenses to appear as a defence witness in Metuh’s trial.
Speaking today at the continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja with respect to the prayer seeking for a deposit of N1bilion, Metuh says he does not have N1 billion to give the Former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He adds that it is his view that from the first day he was arrested that the release of the money for which he is standing trial was authorised by the Former President and released by the former National Security Adviser at his prompting.
However, he says that if the application is to save the nation from the embarrassment of docking a Former President, it would have been aborted if the charge against Metuh was not preferred.
Haven gotten this far it is the defendant’s position that this application should be struck out.
Jonathan maintained that the evidence Metuh is seeking from him would amount to an invasion of his personal right to privacy, and family life as provided for in Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
He told the court that the evidence sought to be obtained from him was likely to expose him to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture.
The former President further argued that the subpoena ad testifiandum Justice Abang issued against him on October 23 was vague, applied for and obtained on frivolous ground and in bad faith, saying it was meant to embarrass him as a person.
Besides, Jonathan argued that Metuh was not a personal aid or his appointee and therefore could not have dealt with the President directly under any circumstance to warrant the invitation of the applicant to testify in the charge.
He said there was no nexus between hiim and Metuh and the charge for which the defendants are standing trial.
However, the ex-President said he was not doubtful of the fact that there was a contractual agreement between Metuh and the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, rtd.