The present administration has virtually trivialized governance and what it entails in this country.. President Umaru Yar’adua’s gross nonchalance on issues that border on our integrity, image and pride as a nation has in real sense become very embarrassing. Where is the President in this ongoing show of shame by his two key officers supposed to be involved in the government’s fight against or is it in support of corruption. Where is our President? Where is he? When is the President going to say or do something about the contentious issues involved, is it when the two key officers exchange blows at Wuse Market or at the Abuja airport? It is very important Nigerians know where Yar’adua stands on the matter- in support or against Aondoakaa or the EFCC. And if he supports both, we should equally be informed.
Every right thinking Nigerian expected Yar’adua to have taken steps to prove that he is not accessory to the facts of the minister’s actions by asking Andoakaa to act fast on the EFCC’s request in the interest of the country.
Is the President not aware that the action of the minister to block the request of the London Metropolitan Police through the EFCC on the release of the 25 witnesses necessary to prosecute Ibori’s case, if not immediately checked is capable of casting aspersion on the president’s already doubtful moral resolve to fight corruption?
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If The Metropolitan Police as claimed, have exclusive evidence relating to the shares proceeds scam being equally investigated by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) one would have expected that Yar’adua would have jumped at the opportunity to access such evidence to nail the former office holders and their cohorts. And if it turns out after the exercise that the Met Police’s allegation was a hoax, then President can proudly protest the British Authority’s actions against his political associates and compel them to equally tell the world that the former public office holders are not as dirty as claimed by the investigators/ prosecutors.
The UK police said they have evidence against them, is it not better to allow the UK courts to sort out the matter rather than drag the Nigerian government into the matter? This is a question for both Aondoakaa and Yar’adua.
As was rightly pointed out by the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) “With Nigeria being hit hard by the political forces that has held it hostage and in the face of surging corruption, the latest expose on the minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, Chief Michael Andoakaa, to the effect of his deliberate and desperate inclination to stall and impede the metropolitan police in its bid to prosecute chief James Ibori and his associates has proved surprisingly once again that there is no reprieve yet for the country.”
It is incredible that neither the AGF nor the EFCC could be trusted on the face value of what they say. Who should Nigerians believe now? The EFCC said it has officially asked the AGF for permission to enable the 25 witnesses who are EFCC staff that investigated the Vmobile shares case in Nigeria to testify at the Southwark crown court.
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But the Minister, as claimed by the agency has allegedly sat on the request sent to him over two weeks ago. As a result of Aondoakaa’s indifference, the trip of the 25 EFCC witnesses to London was stalled for the trial that was slated to start on September 21.
But Aondoakaa in a statement in Abuja Sunday September 20 said: "On the issue of 25 witnesses needed by the Met Police, nobody has brought that information to my notice and immediately I saw the publication in the papers today, I contacted the Secretary of the EFCC, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, who said they will be bringing whatever they have got from the Metropolitan Police on the next working day as regards the witnesses to testify in the “Regina Vs Christine Ibori-Ibie etc.”
"I have no request on my desk in relation to these witnesses. As soon as my office receives the request, it will be treated with dispatch and as the law requires.
“There is no truth in the reports that the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has refused to approve the request from the EFCC for 25 witnesses to appear as witness in London on Monday (today) in the suit involving former Delta State governor, James Ibori.
“It is the prerogative of any Nigerian to be willing to give evidence or not in any suit anywhere in the country or the world. It is the sole fundamental right of Nigerians to decide whether to give evidence or to testify in Nigeria or anywhere in the world, that decision has nothing to do with the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation.”
How long can we continue as a nation with this ‘you be thief I no be thief people in government? The Yar’adua, Aondoakaa and Waziri tango is nothing but a house divided among itself and that house will go only one direction- terrible fall!
Where our President deh? Umoooru are yoooooou….. there? I beg anybody weh know where our president deh make ee tellam say we Nigerians deh finam!
SENIOR FYNEFACE, ELELEWON STREET GRA II, PORT HARCOURT ([email protected])
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