Posted by By KENNY ASHAKA, Kaduna on
Despite the criticism trailing the list of candidates of various political parties indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the commission has thrown another bombshell.
Despite the criticism trailing the list of candidates of various political parties indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the commission has thrown another bombshell.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, EFCC chairman says standard bearers of political parties indicted may be arrested and prosecuted even after winning elections.
He, therefore, warned that political parties which refused to replace indicted candidates were taking risks.
'Parties who have refused to replace their candidates are taking risks at the polls. Maybe after elections, the person can be arrested."
Ribadu spoke at the weekend on the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored in Kaduna.
He made the disclosure at the same forum where the Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, reacted to his indictment, casting himself in the shadow of the biblical Joseph who was persecuted by his blood brothers.
The EFCC boss lamented the high level of corruption among politicians and wondered why Nigerians were criticizing the commission when it had started clamping down on corrupt people.
'We have vowed time without number that we would not allow corrupt politicians to be elected into office at the forthcoming polls. We have always been talking about the deteriorating condition of the country as a result of corruption. If we have to curb corruption, there is no way we will allow corrupt politicians to be elected and take over the running of the affairs of government," Ribadu said.
In what is suggestive of the determination of the EFCC to stop those indicted from contesting the April polls, he said: 'Now is the time to stop corrupt politicians rather than wait for them to win elections.
'This country has been battered because of corrupt politicians. You cannot find the type of thing happening in Nigeria anywhere in the world."
Asked if EFCC was not overstepping its bounds, the EFCC chief reacted rather vehemently, asking in return, 'if 419ner has become a politician, you mean he should be allowed to contest?
'Does it mean that anybody who has joined politics has immunity from our work as crime fighters and should be allowed to go scot free? Why should you say once a thief has become a politician, EFCC should not investigate him?
'We are not used to telling the truth in this country. Elites in this country do whatever they like and no one dares ask them. No, we are asking what people do not know. Why should a thief be elected member of the House of Representatives or governor?
Ribadu who also reacted to the allegations that the EFCC was being used to blackmail opponents said his consolation is that majority of the people on the list are PDP members.
'We were being abused before. They even said Odili was using us. We started the investigations much earlier. But you know, these politicians, no matter what you do, they must talk."
On his part, Mallam Shekarau likened what the EFCC has done to a repetition of history and went biblical:
'Let's not forget that there were prophets of God whom he sent and were persecuted but God came to their defence even when they were imprisoned.
'For instance, Prophet Joseph whom his own blood brothers persecuted and even went to prison and was defended by God. This allegation has strengthened us."
However, Shekarau chided the EFCC for not employing the legal principle which presumes people innocent until proven guilty, because 'up till this moment, when I am talking to you, nobody or agency has approached me with any allegation since I became governor, whether in writing or verbally.
'It is left for the people who made the allegations to prove it. But I am not surprised because I know there are people working day and night to see that we are blackmailed out of office. It is their handiwork."