Reps Move to Probe Jonathan Over $460m CCTV Loan — Hours After ECOWAS Drops Him for Osinbajo
Barely 24 hours after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) replaced former President Goodluck Jonathan with Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the head of its Election Observer Mission to Côte d’Ivoire, the Nigerian House of Representatives has launched a probe into a $460 million Chinese loan obtained during Jonathan’s administration.
The loan, secured in 2010, was meant for the procurement and installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems across strategic locations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) a project that has since remained a subject of controversy due to its incomplete execution and unclear accountability.
Interestingly, the House of Representatives, which has been in session for over two years, has only now found it necessary to revisit the matter, coinciding with reports of Jonathan’s alleged plan to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Political observers suggest that the timing of the probe may not be coincidental, especially given President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strong influence within ECOWAS and among members of the ruling party-dominated legislature.
Many interpret the move as part of a broader political strategy to frustrate any resurgence of Jonathan’s political ambitions.
As Nigeria inches closer to another electoral cycle, analysts predict more political maneuvering and potential power plays between emerging camps within the political elite.
