Nigeria charges Jonathan's campaign manager with graft

Former President Goodluck Jonathan waves to the crowd as he leaves the office during the inauguration of President Mohammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015. By Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File)

Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's anti-graft agency on Tuesday charged former president Goodluck Jonathan's campaign spokesman with corruption in yet another arrest of a top-ranking member of the previous administration.

Femi Fani-Kayode, who was also a former aviation minister, was arraigned in an Abuja court on corruption charges linked to Jonathan's re-election campaign last year.

He was accused alongside former finance minister Nenadi Esther Usman, who was allegedly in charge of campaign funds for the 2015 polls.

Both were alleged to have siphoned more than 1.5 billion naira ($5.3 million, 4.8 million euros) in state funds for "political and personal uses".

Fani-Kayode pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody until a bail hearing on Friday.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who defeated Jonathan in the 2015 vote, has launched a wide-ranging campaign against corruption targeting key members of the Jonathan's regime.

Former national security advisor Sambo Dasuki is currently facing a slew of charges over allegedly bogus arms deals in which money meant for military procurement was diverted for political purposes.

The money was allegedly paid into accounts of senior figures to fund Jonathan's re-election campaign.

Former party spokesman Olisa Metuh, who allegedly received a share of the campaign cash, said he was only acting on Jonathan's orders.

A cousin of the former Nigerian leader, Robert Azibaola, is also standing trial for allegedly stealing $40 million from public funds.

Despite the arrest of Jonathan's key confidantes in connection with his re-election campaign, the former president has not been charged by Nigeria's anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.