Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to set aside the subpoena ordering him to appear in court to testify in the case of Olisa Metuh, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a motion filed on Monday by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on his behalf, Jonathan in the alternative sought an order directing Metuh to deposit with the court for and on his behalf the sum of ₦1 billion to cater for the travel expenses for himself and his security personnel from his hometown of Otuoke in Bayelsa State and the time that he might spend appearing before the court as President of Nigeria between 2010 and 2015.

He contended that the request was in line with the provisions of Section 241 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Act, 2015 and that the evidence sought to be obtained from him would amount to an invasion of his privacy and that of his family as provided for in Section 37 of the Constitution of Nigeria.

Jonathan further contended that the evidence the court was seeking from him was likely to expose him to a criminal charge, penalty of forfeiture as according to him, the subpoena was vague and obtained frivolously in bad faith to embarrass him.

He argued that Metuh was at no time during his tenure, his personal aide or appointee, hence could not have had personal dealings with him to justify the invitation to testify in court.

“That he (Jonathan) knows nothing about the seven charges for which the 1st defendant/2nd defendant are standing trial before this court and has absolutely nothing to testify before this court.

“That he, as a former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the event that this honourable court refuses prayer one on the motion paper, shall require the sum of ₦1,000,000,000.00 (one billion naira) only, to cover travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel, from his hometown, Otuoke in Bayelsa State to Abuja, and also for  logistics and provision of tight security to cover any period of time that he might spend appearing before this court as President of Nigeria between 2010 and 2015,” the affidavit filed in support of the motion read in part.

Following separate applications by Metuh, Justice Okon Abang had issued separate subpoenas ordering Jonathan and the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to appear in court on Tuesday to testify in Metuh’s defence to charges that he and his company, Destra Investments Limited made cash transactions involving $2million and fraudulently received N400million from the NSA..