Reports that the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is warming up to prosecute 17 former governors for allegedly looting their state treasuries while in office should ordinarily be a welcome development but is actually unsettling given the political climate in the country at the moment. The timing is suspicious, the announcement questions the integrity of what ordinarily should be an unbiased prosecution of corruption.
Why the agency is just waking up on these cases many years after the governors in question left office raises questions and the least the EFCC should rise beyond suspicion for it to have credibility and public trust.
Granted that Nigerians desire to see the EFCC prosecute corrupt persons conscientiously and unimpeded given the high level of graft in the country, it would be ineffectual for the agency to give the impression that it is motivated by political witch-hunt in the performance of its arduous duty. That will erode the credibility of the commission and at the same time create an escape route for corrupt persons who should come under the hammer of the law.
The EFCC has reportedly earmarked the sum of N284.6 million for the prosecution of 17 former governors.
The former governors include
Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia,
Chimaroke Nnamani, of Enugu
Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto,
Adamu Abdullahi, of Nasarawa,
Boni Haruna of Adamawa,
Jolly Nyame of Taraba,
Michael Botmang of Plateau,
Saminu Turaki of Jigawa,
Joshua Dariye also of Plataeu,
Ayo Fayose of Ekiti,
Danjuma Goje of Gombe,
Akwe Doma of Nasarawa,
Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo,
Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun,
Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa
Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo.
The Commissioner also said Nigeria lost at least N350 billion to fraud allegedly committed by the accused persons and their cronies.
To start with, the sum of N284.6 million budgeted may not be enough to prosecute these cases even if the EFCC intends to use government prosecutors in the Ministry of Justice. There seems to be a deliberate underfunding of the agency, which is inimical to a sound prosecution of cases as EFCC should be able to engage the right calibre of lawyers to prosecute its cases. Besides, EFCC should be diligent in prosecuting the cases by assembling unassailable evidences before going to court to avoid having the cases thrown out for lack of merit.
Having said this, reopening the governors’ cases at this material time is fraught with perils not the least being the suspicion that the exercise is geared towards the 2015 general elections. It is a disservice to Nigeria when those who are facing the wrath of the law get the chance to claim that their prosecution is a smear campaign on account of bad timing. In truth, at election time chances of blackmail are high. Eight years ago, former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu listed some 23 governors he said had serious allegations of fraud and corruption to answer but who could not be prosecuted while in office. The cases were then under investigation.
The governors were meant to be prosecuted as soon as they left office. But ever since then, only a handful has actually been taken to court.
And, to date, the EFCC has not made public the report of its investigations. The question is, if the 17 governors had cases to answer, why did their cases have to wait till now? It is noteworthy that the first batch of governors finished in 2003.
At a point, EFCC complained of lack of funds to do its job. Which is why the case is being vigorously made that EFCC should be made completely independent. The structure of its prosecution is faulty and that explains why the commission bungles many of its cases. To save costs, the Commission may wish to make use of prosecutors in the Ministry of Justice as these are lawyers employed to prosecute government cases. Yet, EFCC would need some financial muscle to hire external lawyers in some cases.
Above all, it is an institution on which the future of good governance in Nigeria depends. An appreciation of this pivotal, historical role should inform appointment of EFCC’s helmsmen, recruitment into its operations, funding and its structure. Nigeria will rise or fall on the basis of how it fights corruption.culled
why isnt Odilis name on that list. why witch hunt people and yet people like Odili still walks a free man. Shame on the Presidency!
ReplyDeleteMary Odili has been protecting him.
DeleteMy dear, as long as Odili's name is not there, this list is bullshit! Dat guy should be castrated in the market place.
DeleteThis case as being long overdue..
ReplyDeleteWhat is 'as'? Stupid English. It is 'has'. U cannot shorten that word. It just makes u sound stupid.
DeleteHaba Anon 2:46 take it easy on Gistyinka Blog. He\She must be yoruba. Blame it on d way dey speak sometimes.
DeleteJeez! Must u be tribalistic with you comments dear! Its not verry healty u know?!
DeleteEFCC on their own na criminals.if e reach to arrest poor man when thief maggi tem go spread they show us.how can all this people who steal heavily be worshiped?they said they seized ibru's properties but they know she is still having them.so make dem stop fooling us.if ghana can sack a minister who only said she will make money why then can't nigeria prosecute who them catch as thief
ReplyDeletethat country never tire una,old men can't ask themselves why do we keep stealing and no peace to enjoy.boko haram una be fool for not knowing where to bomb.if anybody get link make we destroy this old fools and criminals make he drop email i go contact am because na them make us full abroad so when one small white boy fit use u catch fun.
ReplyDeletei think the reason they keep stealing is because the youths are being too quiet.if we destroy wetin them build them go don change.they can't live abroad because nobody go send them.na naija wen one poor idiot when just do juju enter politics go come be like god for that country.how can old men lie and use fake mame enter uk una know d man.so if these old men do this what do they expect from the youths?
ReplyDeleteSame EFCC Thant barely has funds to pay up their staff salaries?
ReplyDeleteAbeg make we hear word.
Corruption has come to stay in Nigeria n only d death of these corrupt officials wld set Nigeria free.
One word.........Orji Uzor Kalu that your Mansion that has Polo Club, Football Field, 152 ATM Machines will be taking by EFCC.
ReplyDeleteNa turu. For which country? Abeg mk we hear word.
DeleteHa ha ha ha! Hu hu hu hu! He he he he! It has started, Nigeria,yes we can.
ReplyDeleteYes, una can What?#forgive my bad pidgin all join#
DeleteEFCC that is looking for money to revive it's dying name and office.
All these ex'govs need to do is to queue up and pay their titthe',and dats dat,case closed!
Nigeria! Nigeria!! Nigeria!!! Which way na?
ReplyDeleteLucky Igbinedion kwanu?
ReplyDeleteToo lonq so much on my desk can't read it. Only went thru d list. I didn't c odili, + y did dey hv 2wait dis lonq? Na botman corpse qo ansa4 him crime?
ReplyDelete17 former governors. Only 2 from the East? Alams has been absolved from his sins by his brother from Otuoke. The majority of the other governors are Northern and Western, areas where PDP is fast losing grip. What do I say to this? Good move EFCC, though una waste time well well. They should invite the likes of Ohakim and Odili so political brains won't continue raising their seasoned eyebrows. #2015
ReplyDeleteOdili's name should be in that list, Madam Odili i say a big shame on you!!! Shielding your thief husband from prosecution! Don't worry his time will come. As for Alao Akala, he used all the money he stole on bleaching cream. Lol
ReplyDeleteWhere is lucky igbinedion eh?
ReplyDeleteCase of snake biting snake. In oshiomole's voice 'EFCC, go and die"
ReplyDeleteICY
Wey lucky igbenedion oh?!!! Esama has bought EFCC. If lucky isn't on dis list then d list is as gud as useless!!! Mtshewwww
ReplyDeleteCheck out the number 1 person's name naw.. Lolz
ReplyDelete*bbm not interested face* Do dey have to wait till these thieves leave office before EFCC begins to act. All these drama seems to me like medicine after death; there should be checks and balances while they are still in office.
ReplyDeleteNo one noticed Michael Botmang of Plateau.
ReplyDeleteThe man died!
You people saying odili's name should be on that list are heartless animals especially the fool that said he should be castrated. The prayers of the people he helped in this life will continue to protect him.
ReplyDeleteOdili's name is not supposed to be any Efcc list, he wasn't called corrupt until he attempted to run for presidency, call a spade a spade, this corrupt corrupt people started calling Odili was a creation of unhurt ribadu and Sahara reporters once he became a presidential aspirant
ReplyDeleteHa people dey o! Odili doesn't need his wife's protection, God is the one fighting for him. When Efcc started prosecuting him was his wife the judge that handled the matter? Isn't just recently she got to the Supreme Court? A judge of another court cannot instruct another judge what judgement he or she will write, everyday people say odili's wife is protecting him as if she is the head of Efcc. Hiss
ReplyDeletePeople hide behind anonymous and wish people evil. That idiot that said Odili should be castrated is just trike those animals that tortured those women with pepper and bottle,beast! You are probably not even from rivers state,talking as if u know anything. When Odili was governor people were proud to be rivers, rivers state then was the most popular niger delta state, there was pride in being a rivers man not now once u mention rivers state people start asking about one wahala or the other,nothing positive!
ReplyDeleteMay God continues protect odili
ReplyDeleteOdili was accused of owning private jets but those are the same jets that amechi has been selling off and buying new ones,why isn't anybody talking out that. If Odili was the personal owner of the aircrafts how will the state government be able to sell them. Corrupt corrupt , people should dig deep
ReplyDeleteStella pls,gv us an efcc contact,I av a crime 2report annonymously plssss!!!
ReplyDelete