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Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has sensationally revealed that 15 of the 31 state governors currently under investigation by the commission would be charged to court next month.
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has sensationally revealed that 15 of the 31 state governors currently under investigation by the commission would be charged to court next month.
He made the revelation on Wednesday when he appeared before the Senate to brief it on the litany of investigations being carried out by the commission in all states of the federation.
However, in a swift response, the Abia State government wondered why the EFCC boss was demonising governors, when glaring cases of corruption in the Presidency had not been investigated.
Ribadu, who was prevented by the Senate President, Ken Nnamani from mentioning the name of a Nigerian, said to have stolen the highest amount of money in the world, gave the names of governors under probe as Boni Haruna of Adamawa State, Adamu Muazu of Bauchi State and George Akume of Benue State, whom Ribadu accused of not only physically beating up his men (EFCC) right in the office of the Benue State Police Commissioner, but also carted away vital documents recovered from some government officials during the visit to the state.
Others are governors of Bayelsa, Cross River, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, Borno, Delta, Edo, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Abia and the Lagos governor, who the crime buster said would also answer charges on some "international things."
He listed the rest as governors of Niger, Nasarawa, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara and former governors of Kwara, Kogi and Anambra states, adding that the situation in Zamfara State was the worst, even as he declared that Prince Abubakar Audu, former Kogi State governor hurriedly left the country when he got wind of the move to close-in on him by the commission.
The mood for Ribadu's revelation was set by the Senate President, who charged him to reveal everything under the sun concerning his commission's activities.
Nnamani, who said that the media misinterpreted the motive behind the motion that necessitated the appearance of Ribadu before the Senate, said: "EFCC is a creation of the National Assembly. Contrary to public expectation and perception, EFCC is not an executive tool but that of the National Assembly. So we want to know about your activities. If we can read the findings of the investigations on the vice president in the papers, let's know what is happening in the states EFCC has been investigating. You're doing a marvelous work; no doubt, there should be no sacred cows. So, tell us about the cankerworm, the tumour called corruption in Nigeria ."
However, Ribadu gave his brief and gave report only on the governor of Enugu State, prompting senators to shout "no, no, tell us the rest." Senator David Mark (PDP, Benue) had fired a shot at Ribadu, who exuded confidence throughout the about two and a half hours he stood before the Senate to provide answers to their questions.
Mark said: "Senators have been named as bribe takers. Only recently, the former number three citizen, alongside other senators, were named in a bribery scandal. So we want to know the names of the governors and other big men being investigated."
From that moment on, Ribadu touched on everything, including the much talked about Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) investigation.
Hear him: "If we all live in the U.S, all of us will be in prison by now, because the things we do here cannot be tolerated there. During one of the investigations there, the FBI went into the office of the Speaker to cart away certain document. You all know that cannot happen here. It was an administrative panel that was set up in the NPA, but EFCC happened to be the chair of the panel. It was after that investigation the Federal Executive Council (FEC) directed that a criminal investigation be carried out by EFCC. And we are doing that now.
"EFCC cannot be everywhere at the same to solve the entire problem. Our objective for now is suitable target for maximum impact. Not a single person from the opposition has been taken on by the EFCC. History and posterity will judge us.
"If we were after those who fought against third term, the first person I would take on is the Senate President (pointing at him). We have checked NNPC to see whether money was taken to sponsor third term. Between me and my God, there was nothing. I cannot manufacture facts just to satisfy some people. I respect Senator Chukwumerije, but, like he said, if he has any information concerning any senator who took N50 million during the third term debate, give me and see if I will not prosecute the person."
Apparently overwhelmed by the responses provided by the EFCC boss, Nnamani, at the end of the exercise, said "history will be kind to him (Ribadu) and his group. EFCC epitomizes the war against corruption and symbolizes the fight against corruption in Nigeria . Charge all those you are investigating to court."
Abia State Government Wednesday night, however, described as witchhunt, the revelation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, accusing 31 state governors of embezzlement.
Iyke Ekeoma, special adviser to Governor Orji Uzor Kalu on Media, said that EFCC could not say only governors were corrupt when several cases of alleged corrupt practices against the Presidency were never investigated for once.
Ekeoma reeled out instances of alleged corruption in Federal Government agencies and projects including the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), National Identity Card project, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and the presidential library.
He stressed that the EFCC had kept mute on those, while, according to him, the governors were being victimised.
The Abia governor's aide said the state had a case in the law court against the EFCC, adding that saying more on the matter would be prejudicial.