N25bn Corruption Trial: The bargain between Aso Rock and Goje for Senate presidency

A day after stepping down for his party man Sen. Ahmed Lawan in the  race for the ninth Senate top job, , APC Senator Danjuma Goje has got a treat: his N25b corruption case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been withdrawn.

Goje is being prosecuted for allegedly misappropriating the amount while he was a governor. And he case has dragged on for eight years.

The EFCC announced its withdrawal on Friday—a day after Goje met President Muhammadu Buhari  who urged him to support Lawan.

On Friday, when Goje’s corruption trial came up for an emergency hearing before Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court II in Jos, the EFCC counsel, Wahab Shittu, told the court the commission was transferring the case.

The office of the attorney-general is now in charge.

“As you can see in court today is a state counsel from the AGF’s office to formally take over this case from us,” EFCC counsel  said.

Goje’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro, did not object to this.

The lawyer representing the office of the attorney-general later announced his appearance for the case and applied for an adjournment to enable him to prepare for the case proper.

The matter has been adjourned to June 21.

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