Posted by By OLA AGBAJE on
Lagos Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), has made clarification on the headline of a story published in the September 30 edition of Saturday Sun, which implied that he said the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu lied.
Lagos Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), has made clarification on the headline of a story published in the September 30 edition of Saturday Sun, which implied that he said the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu lied.
Chief Fawehinmi, reacting to the publication in a statement said the headline: ‘Ribadu lied; No governor is clean -Gani Fawehinmi, was not correct as he did not say that Ribadu lied. He also corrected the impression that he disagreed with Ribadu over the EFCC Chairman's statement that he never disagreed with Ribadu over any statement on governors being investigated for corrupt practices.
According to Fawehinmi; 'Nuhu Ribadu himself said on Wednesday, 27th September, 2006 in his presentation to the Senate that investigation is still going on with regard to the petitions received by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against the states and their governments.
'The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has not absolved any governor of corruption in all the 36 states of the federation.
'Therefore, there is no basis for the sun journalist to refer to any disagreement between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nuhu Ribadu on one hand and myself with Nuhu Ribadu on the other hand."
Fawehinmi reiterated his support for EFCC and Ribadu's leadership of the commission.
'I gave one hundred per cent support to both the EFCC and Nuhu Ribadu, the chairman of the institution for what they have done. I do not disagree with them and I have never said they lied," he said.
Insisting that he would have no reason not to support the anti-graft commission, Gani vowed to continue to support them as long as they stay on course in their ruthless war against corruption, which is the destructive bane of the nation.
He posited that the war against corruption enjoyed full constitutional backing as section 15(5) of the 1999 constitution states: 'The state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power."
The Senior Advocate urged the media to rise to the challenge of fighting corruption in all facets of the national life as they have constitutional responsibility under section 22 of the constitution to join in the crusade against corruption.