Patience Jonathan sits on high table with Saraki, Dogara at Dino Melaye’s “anti-corruption” book launch

Former First Lady Patience Jonathan occupied a prominent position as Senate’s most vocal member, Senate Dino Melaye’s ‘Antidote for Corruption: The Nigerian Story’, a book he authored, was launched in Abuja on Monday.

Jonathan arrived at the venue to a thunderous ovation. Although, she was not on the list of dignitaries expected to speak at the event, she was ushered to the high table.

This is, perhaps‎, one of the few occasions the former First Lady is making a public appearance since her husband, Goodluck Jonathan, left power.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the seizure of $5 million in the account of the former first lady.  ‎She is currently battling to retrieve the funds.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker Ghali  Na’Abba, and Minister of Federal Capital Territory Mohammed Bello also attended the programme that took place at the Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua centre in Abuja.

Speaking at the occasion, Ghali Na’Abba said corruption in the country is often defined from a subjective perspective, describing the menace as a failure of leadership in the country.

Defining corruption as any form of social deviance‎, the former Speaker said Nigerians must come to a consensus of what constitutes corruption.

According to him, the definition of corruption is usually coloured by ethnic and religious sentiments.

“There is no consensus on what constitutes corruption most definitions of corruption in Nigeria have been subjective,” he said.

“Corruption is not only in matters of finance, corruption also means deviance. It is simply a failure of leadership. It is social deviance. Nepotism, stealing and all social deviance is corruption.”

Melaye is the Senator representing Kogi west.