Efio-Ita Nyok|4 October 2016
Yesterday, 3 October it was reported by a national daily, The Punch that before the end of the month of October 2016 the federal government will slam corruption charges via a special committee, National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC) against 31 former governors and other accused politicians who had occupied offices from 1999 – 2015. This process is being managed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)/Minister of Justice who it was reported has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to submit the duplicate files of high profile corruption charges relating to some former governors and fingered politicians to the NPCC. It was also garnered that these antigraft agencies have complied with the directive of the AGF and the NPCC is presently studying these files.
The report read in part, 'Before the NPCC began work, the AGF had written to the EFCC and ICPC, asking them to remit the duplicate files of 31 ex-governors and some other politically-exposed persons to his office.
'While the anti-corruption agencies had yet to respond, the AGF again asked the various agencies with prosecutorial powers, including the ICPC and the EFCC, to compile and remit the duplicate files of all high profile cases they had to the NPCC.
'I can tell you that the agencies have responded to the AGF’s directive and the NPCC is now reviewing the files.
'We don’t want to rush to court. So we have asked some of our teams of prosecutors to look into the files and review the evidence and draft charges where there is sufficient evidence.
'After the review is completed, we will then hold a conference of all the lawyers to review the drafted charges before filing.
'We expect that all these will be concluded soon and we start filing the charges before the end of this month'.
The list of the affected 31 governors and other politicians are listed thus: Senate President Bukola Saraki, who is a former Governor of Kwara State; Godswill Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State; and a factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who is an ex-Governor of Borno State.
Other former governors include Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Saminu Turaki (Jigawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Joshua Dariye (Plateau); Ahmed Yerima (Zamfara); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).
They also include Ikedi Ohakim (Imo); Achike Udenwa (Imo); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); Jolly Nyame (Taraba); Boni Haruna (Adamawa); George Akume (Benue); Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo); Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto) and Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo).
Others are Usman Dakingari (Kebbi); Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi); Peter Odili (Rivers), and Lucky Igbindedion (Edo).
We understand that a name is surprisingly missing in the above list which is Sen. Liyel Imoke, former governor of Cross River State (2007-2015). The question is, why must that name be missing? Why have this report not talked about Donald Duke? This is the reason: it will be recalled that immediately after the exit of Imoke, Cross River renowned right activist, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla had petitioned the EFCC against Imoke on corruption grounds. His letter reads in part:
'16th April, 2015
Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde
Executive Chairman
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Federal Capital Territory
Abuja, Nigeria
'Dear Sir,
'PETITION FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF EXPENDITURE OF ALLOCATIONS TO 18 LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS IN CROSS RIVER STATE FROM THE FEDERATION ACCOUNTS FROM JANUARY 2010 TO MARCH 2015; OWNERSHIP OF SONGHAI FARMS LIMITED, ITIGIDI, ABI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA; N40 BILLION BOND FLOATED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CROSS RIVER STATE ; PURCHASE OF DASH AIRCRAFT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CROSS RIVER STATE; NI.5 BILLION APPROVED AND COLLECTED FROM THE STATE RESERVED FUND FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A MODEL COLLEGE IN BOKI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ; EXPENDITURE OF N15 BILLION FROM THE STABILISATION FUND OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR CROSS RIVER STATE AND OTHER SUNDRY MATTERS ‘
'I am a Legal Practitioner, Writer, Activist and Traditional Ruler and a conscientious Citizen of Cross River State of Nigeria.
'I, hereby respectfully invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the issues I have enumerated below thus:
'1. Investigate the ownership of the Songhai Farms Limited in Itigidi, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State of Nigeria.
'2. Investigate the N40 Billion Bond which Governor Liyel Imoke claim was issued by the Government of Cross River State to settle loans owed Commercials Banks but which the Federal Minister of Minister of Finance and Debt Management Office approved N31.99 Billion.
'3. Investigate the purchase of a Dash aircraft purchased by the Government of Cross River State from the Government of Rivers State of Government of Nigeria.
'4. Investigate the where about of the said aircraft.
'5. Investigate the expenditure of the 13% derivation allocation to the 18 Local Government Areas in Cross River State 18 Local Government Areas for the year 2010 from the Federation Accounts amounting to N1, 241,833,242.37 but which Governor Imoke diverted and misappropriated.
'6. Investigate the expenditure of the sum of N6.3 Billion which the Cross River State House of Assembly for approved for Governor Liyel Imoke to withdraw from the Cross River State Reserved Fund for the construction of School of Nursing, Itigidi; the Signature Building of the IMT, Ugep and the construction of the Model College, Boki Local Government Area.
'7. Despite the fact N1.5 Billion out the said N6.3 Billion was approved and withdrawal from the Fund Manager for the construction of the Model College till now nothing has been done on the project site…
'12. Investigate the expenditure of the sum of N15 Billion by Governor Liyel Imoke approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria to ameliorate the economic losses suffered by Cross River State as a result of Judgment of the Supreme Court that led to the loss of 76 Oil Wells to Akwa Ibom State by Cross River State and the transfer of the sovereignty of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon.
'13. Investigate the expenditure of a monthly augmentation of N500m (Five Hundred Million Naira) from the Stabilization Fund paid to the Cross River State Government in 2013 by the Federal Government of Nigeria for two years at the first instance.
'14. Investigate the use of State Funds by Governor Imoke to bribe the hierarchy of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in November/December 2014 following the defeat of his faction of the Party in Cross River State by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba’s faction in the State Delegate Election to elect delegates to the PDP congress to elect its candidates for the Governorship, National and State Assemblies elections concluded in April, 2015.
Yours Sincerely
Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla'.
To the best of my knowledge I am not aware of any report either from the EFCC or Obla that has exonerated Imoke of culpability in the subject raised by Obla. Has the EFCC determined the ownership of the Songhai Farms? The N40 billion bond of the CRSG? What about the controversy surrounding the whereabout of the Dash aircraft purchased by the CRSG from Rivers State Government by Imoke? (I remember Rt. Hon. Orok Duke writing extensively on this), etc. The question is has the EFCC determined this questions as raised by Obla?
If my memory does not fail me, I understand that Obla is the SA Prosecution to the President of Nigeria and thus a member of the NPCC; Cross Riverians therefore deserve to know why Sen. Liyel Imoke wasn't included among the 31 ex-Governors and other politicians? Or, do we have reasons to contemplate that either EFCC or the indefatigable Obla has being compromised?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of NegroidHaven.org
