The Transition Monitoring Group has asked the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, to resign his appointment for saying that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has cleared the former Delta State governor, James Ibori and his two former counterparts in Akwa Ibom and Lagos States, Victor Attah and Bola Tinubu.
In a similar vein, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties has appealed to President Umaru Yar’Adua to dismiss Mr. Aondoakaa for allegedly lying on the matter, saying it has exposed the perfidy of the minister.
Mr. Aondoankaa had, at a news conference last week, said that the three governors had been cleared of charges against them in a London Court, following an affidavit sworn to by the anti-graft agency.
He also said that David Edebvie, the Principal Secretary to President Umaru Yar’Adua had been exonerated form his alleged involvement in the African Development Funds Incorporated money laundering case.
But the EFCC, in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, last Friday denied clearing the three governors, saying “while not adjudging anyone guilty until proven so, the commission wishes to restate that it has not in any way declared the three former governors innocent of the allegations for which they are investigated.”
The Transition Monitoring Group, in a statement on Sunday by its chairman, Moshood Erubami and publicity secretary, Musa Rafsanjani said: “The statement, credited to the attorney general and minister of justice of the federation, Michael Andoakaa (SAN) to the effect that the EFCC cleared the former Delta State governor, Ibori but later proved to be untrue, has reopened the doubt of Nigerians on whether the minister is not a big threat to the current anti-corruption fight being waged by the Yar’Adua administration. The statement is least expected from a number one law officer of the country and so irresponsible, a misdemeanour capable of tarnishing the image of Nigeria and Nigerians in the eyes of other international communities and indeed a setbck for the anti corruption struggle being waged by Nigerians,” the group said.
“The fact of the matter is that the letter, dated January 12, 2009, which Aondoakaa was trying to misuse as a clearance certificate is an ordinary letter calling on the bank to lift an earlier caution placed by the EFCC, on the account of the African Development Funds Incorporated where the commission received on the sales of the shares under consideration was paid, pending the conclusion of the substantive cases of conspiracy, money laundering, abuse of office, and official corruption.”
Lured into deep slumber
The group insisted that nobody was cleared before Britain requested for the details of the case and urged Mr. Aondoakaa to submit needed information to Britain without further delay.
“Having now been proved that the minister did not tell the truth to the nation in respect of this case, we call on the Senate to recall the minister and show him the way out for the embarrassment he has caused the nation and for breaking the confidence on which he was confirmed as minister by the Senate in the first instance.
“With ministers like Aondoakaa, Nigeria cannot win the war it is waging against corruption and if the image of the country would be shored up, Aondoakaa should resign or be told to go as a wrong brand.” The CNPP, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Osita Okechukwu, said the episode has “unveiled and exposed the serial ignoble role of Michael Aondoakaa (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 .” The group of opposition parties asked Mr. Yar’ Adua to dismiss Mr. Aondoakaa 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”.
The CNPP, however, praised the EFCC chairperson, Farida Waziri “for waking up from the deep slumber which Aondoakaa 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.”
Reader Comments (19)
post a comment
* = Required information