Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Zamfara State, Abudulazeez Yari by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
He also
alleged that “the EFCC is obviously blackmailing state governors on the Paris
Club refund.”
In a
statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor described the
onslaught on Yari as a direct attack on all the governors of the 36 states of
Nigeria, calling on all the governors to rise and protect the NGF.”
He pointed
out that the Paris Club refund was occasioned by the Federal Government’s
illegal conversion of funds belonging to the states and local councils, adding
that it was absurd that the Federal Government, which illegally used money
belonging to the states and local councils for its own purpose was the one
giving conditions as to how the refund must be spent.
“It is like
a man stealing your money and now coming back to give you conditions to refund
the money he stole and also telling you how to spend the money,” he said.
The governor
said it was the height of rascality for the EFCC to keep feeding the public
with falsehood and maligning the hard-earned integrity of Nigerians, especially
former and serving governors.
Fayose, who
also briefed newsmen in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, described Yari as a man of
integrity that the NGF would not allow EFCC to rubbish because of his
independent views on issues.
He said:
“The EFCC has become a lawless organisation. They are fond of destroying
people’s reputation. This is most uncharitable. How would you compensate the
man if after the end of the day those allegations are found to be untrue.
“The EFCC is
now being used for settling personal score. A cabal has hijacked the commission
and the fraud in EFCC is second to none.
“Rather than
doing the right things, they are muzzling the judiciary and blaming it for
losing cases in court when they have no concrete evidence. “
The
governor, who condemned the EFCC for accusing Yari of looting N500 million and
$500,000 from the Paris Club refund, said he was not surprised about the
activities of the anti-graft agency because of the antecedents of President
Muhammadu Buhari whom he accused of imposing Magu on Nigerians.
Fayose said
the NGF would meet soon to review the situation to save Nigerians from further
harassment and political witch-hunt in the hands of the operatives of the
commission.
“This is
humiliation and character assassination of our chairman. We reject it. The
governors’ forum is a reputable organisation. Why not keep your gunpowder dry
and wait for hearing and confront him with evidence.
“This is why
they are asking for special courts so that they can shop for compromised judges
that will do their bidding and be jailing people for them. Now that judges have
also had bad experiences in the hands of the commission, that will serve as an
eye opener to the rot in the agency.”
0 Comments