‘ I challenge anybody to how one single case where I stopped prosecution of any of the accused persons standing trials.
At the time the request was made, the EFCC had cleared the former governors. I didn’t ask the EFCC to clear the former governors.
I wrote to Access Bank to tell me the position of things directly and I got a reply from Access Bank. The reply is that yes there was a letter from EFCC at the first instance, asking them to stay action on this account, but later on the same EFCC wrote them in January 2009 asking them to resume normal banking transactions.’ ……. Chief Michael Aondoakaar, Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
‘ It is therefore inappropriate to input or infer that the three former governors have been exonerated in matters that are still pending or yet to be determined by law court, which is the only competent organ of government that can pronounce guilt or innocence in matters like the one under reference.
The letter being referred to in these reports has no specific impact or reference to the cases of the three former governors as it was only an advice to a bank on the operation of a company’s account and as such cannot speak for substantive cases being investigated.
While not adjudging anyone guilty until proven so, the Commission wishes to restate that it has not in anyway declared the three former governors innocent of the allegations for which they are investigated. ……………… Femi Babafemi, EFCC.
Conference of Nigeria Political Parties {CNPP} in a meeting carefully examined the role of Chief Michael Aondoakaar, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and supervising Minister of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission {EFCC} over the anti-graft war, since the inception of President Umaru Musa Yaradua regime in 2007 and came to the inevitable conclusion and resolved interalia:
I} that for the first time the EFCC has unveiled and exposed the serial ignoble role of Chief Michael Aondoakaar {SAN}, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, a Chief Law Officer who blatantly obstructs justice, perverts the law and dampens the anti-graft war; by a profound statement issued by the EFCC, exposing the heinous lie dished out by the Chief Law Officer of our dear country, to the effect that EFCC has exonerated the three corrupt ex-governors, when the matter is still pending in court .
Where do we start to chronicle his ignoble, controversial and questionable malfeasance, is it the letter he wrote in August 2007 to Southwark Crown Court in London acquitting Chief James Ibori and cohorts of money laundering, the sudden appearance in Chief Orji Kalu’s case without informing the EFCC lead Counsel, the standing order that EFCC should not prosecute without his approval or the tepid, clumsy and inelegant Electoral Bills he drafted for President Yaradua? Simplicita Chief Aondoakaar is a man of doubtful integrity.
II} CNPP is compelled to pose the question : how can Chief Aondoakaar aver that the British High Commission has no locus standi or he will not grant their request for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty or information on the facilitation of the prosecution of Messers James Ibori, Bola Tinubu, Victor Attah, David Edevbie or whosoever, because the crime was committed in Nigeria; therefore Nigerian government’s case not British government’s case; when the matter involves money laundering? His mantra to divert attention is to cite Mallam Nuhu Ribadu at every junction as a nemesis.
Iii} what a paradox that a Chief Law Officer who requested the US Justice Department to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in the Halliburton matter; is today obstructing and outrightly rejecting the request from the British to invoke the same treaty ?
Iv} that with such characters as Chief Aondoakaar as Chief Law Officer of the federation no amount of campaign of rebranding can clean the odious image of Nigeria in the comity of nations.
v} CNPP still upholds the view that Chief Aondoakaar never served the cause of justice nor the collective interest of Nigeria in the discharge of his assignment to coordinate the Siemens, Wilbros, Halliburton and other scams he was mandated to oversee.
vi} we recall that when the Federal Executive Council mandated Aondoakaar to review the Uwais Electoral Reform Committee Report, he not only bastardised and mutilated the report but rejected the core ingredients which can guarantee a truly independent Election Commission or violence free and fair elections – participation of the judiciary, executive and senate in the appointment of chairman and key officers of the Electoral Commission, resolution of post electoral disputes before swearing-in of winners and burden of proof resting on the Electoral Commission, not minding that an earlier committee of the same Federal Executive Council led by Dr Shettima Mustapha agreed with the Uwais Report.
vii} CNPP whole heartedly congratulates the EFCC Chairperson, Mrs Farida Waziri for waking up from the deep slumber which Chief Aondoakaar lured her into and we urge her to distance herself from him as she cannot wage the anti-graft war with success if she listens to him.
vIii} that contrary to Chief Michael Aondoakaar statement above, that as the Chief Law Officer of the federation, he did not and never served the cause of justice nor enriched jurisprudence in any sphere talkless in the supervising the EFCC, hence his role is less than noble, for Aondoakaar obstructs justice, covers up investigation and prosecution of looters of our patrimony, example is that of ex-governors, especially Chief James Ibori and cohorts.
ix} calls on President Umaru Musa Yaradua to dismiss Chief Michael Aondoakaar forthwith ,for he is the black sheep of his regime. It is trite law that he who goes to equity must come with clean hands.
Finally, President Yaradua with retrospect should cast his mind to our recent history where the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice Chief Clement Akpamgbo late and his cohorts, were busy crafting the June 12th 1993 Annulment circus show; today nobody remembers nor blames them but ex-president General Ibrahim B. Babaginda, who the buck stopped at his table.
Osita Okechukwu
National Publicity Secretary
CNPP 08039738870
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