Daily Independent (Lagos)
Otei Oham And Festus Owete
14 October 2008
Abuja — Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Farida Waziri, on Monday doused the possibility of prosecuting former President Olusegun Obasanjo and 31 former Governors indicted by former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, on corruption charges.
Waziri said the allegations so far against the former Governors were weak to compel prosecution.
At The Initiatives' Roundtable for Proactive Laws and Good Governance in Abuja, Waziri, however, denied that the Commission had received any petition against the former President, just as the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) insisted it had petitioned the Commission last year over alleged financial corruption against the former President.
CNPP's National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, who was at the forum, confronted the anti-graft agency with the group's claim, urging it to go through the various petitions before the Commission, if the government was sincere with its anti-corruption drive.
While explaining that some petitions the Commission received against some former Governors during the reign of former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, were not substantial to arraign them, Waziri noted that the Commission under her leadership was yet to find the petitions certain persons and groups were claiming to have forwarded to EFCC.
"No case against Obasanjo. No petition has been received against Obasanjo. Those received against 31 former Governors are weak and cannot stand the test of time.
"Most cases mentioned by the former EFCC Chairman turned out not to have strong and enough facts to charge them to court. The case files I inherited are scanty.
"There are some bulky files that, when you open them you don't find statements of the appeal, and it is difficult to take them to court. In prima facie, there is no case," Waziri said.
However, despite Waziri's claim, eight of the former governors are presently in court being tried on charges of corruption and abuse of office. The former Governors presently on trial include James Ibori (Delta), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), and Jolly Nyame (Taraba).
Speaking with Daily Independent on phone, Okechukwu said Waziri is being economical with the truth.
"If it is true as Waziri claimed that there is no case, on what basis are eight former governors being tried? What file is being used to prosecute them? She has just confirmed our suspicion that she is a surrogate. She didn't come to fight corruption. She came to serve the interest of those that appointed her. We have been vindicated."
On attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the Federal Government, Waziri said the nation needed to be aggressive in pursuing policies that would not encourage corruption at any level of government, adding that unless corruption was minimised, businesses would not thrive in the country, and the corporate image of the nation would continue to wane.
"We intend to pursue a policy and practice of respect for existing laws, while eschewing arbitrariness. Effective governance and business can thrive only in a society where the level of corruption is at a minimum.
"By extension, too, a conducive atmosphere for business and for achieving the MDGs can only arise from a minimal state of corruption, which is directly a function of respect for the laws and rights of individuals by governments," she said.
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For OBJ to be probed so must ALL the former heads of states of Nigeria from Gowon to Shagari to Babangida, to Shonekan to Abubakar and to King Tarry-A-Doer after his tenure. No sacred cow. Nigeria's corruption did not begin in 1999 when it was put on notice when OBJ hired Ribadu. So, go figure.
This is a game changer from what Nigerians were told and expected. This is a classic example of what is wrong with a society because it is based on different stroke. We ask what is the difference between armed robbery by a politician and the ordinary armed citizen. Whether you use a pen or gun both can cause harm in fact the pen would cause more harm because it is targeted and more high tech and low risk. If Ms. Waziri saw it that way why should we prosecute Bank robbers simply because they are poor and low life? After… [Read Full Text]
Mrs.Farida Waziri is one of them. Great Job Ms.Farida Waziri or whatever you said your name is. You are a disgrace to rule of law. Nigeria is doomed and will never see the light of the day. All the world is going forward only Nigeria is going backward. I hope you are proud of yourself and the job you are doing in the name of your beloved country.
Something stinks here. Mr. Ribadu must have found some evidences against obasanjo and his governors for him to approach the court of justce. So it might suffice for people to believe the present predicaments of Ribadu is a pre calculated moves by some people who thin they are above the law. Ribadu saw through them and the evil deeds they've been involved with. Now they are trying to shut him down.Mrs Waziri dont be a puppet of the govt which Obasanjo is still presently active. Maybe it's high time people rally around Ribadu for his own sake.
Fellow Nigerians, the truth has come out as we feard since Farida Waziri emerged as EFCC Chairman. Yaradua is not interested in prosecuting any former governor nor ex presido OBJ. They are just playing to the gallery. Some of us were not fooled right from the unset. We knew the truth. Now it has come out for everyone to see. I wonder how the international community is gonna take us serious with Yaradua and Waziri style of pampering corruption.