The Movement Against Corruption has joined the list of organisations calling for the sack of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, over his comments on the status of the case against some former state governors by the London Metropolitan Police.
The London Metropolitan Police alleges that former Delta State governor, James Ibori, and his associates, have questions to answer over their handling of Delta State's shares in the telecommunications company Econet, now Zain Network. Victor Attah, former Akwa Ibom State governor and Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, were also mentioned in the charges of corruption and money laundering.
But Mr. Aondoakaa, in a statement that was faulted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, stated that the case against the men had been resolved.
The movement, according to its president, Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, found it worrisome that "the AGF is usurping the responsibilities of the anti-corruption agencies when it comes to matters connected with or involving James Ibori".
The group also condemned the Minister of Justice's comments on Nuhu Ribadu, the former boss of the EFCC saying: "It is shameful that the AGF, a lawyer for that matter, can openly engage in false accusation without any shred of evidence to back his claim; accusing Mallam Ribadu of instigating the London Metropolitan Police to investigate and prosecute the accused former governor. Such accusation is crude, shameful, ridiculous and devoid of common reasoning." It described Mr. Aondoakaa's statement as showing "commitment to shielding his paymasters from prosecution over their international crimes", while stating that the Attorney General now pursues this "without recourse to the overall implication to the interest and image of the country".
The group also listed some of the Attorney General's actions, which it considered as "barefaced and condemnable". These include: "Usurpation of the prosecutorial powers of the anti-corruption agencies and constituting a cog in the wheel of the agencies' progress; frustration and removal of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the EFCC Chair to grant reprieve for Ibori and others; and issuing a clean bill of health to James Ibori before the London court and denying same."
An office defiled
NEXT on Sunday, in its edition of September 13, had chronicled how the V-mobile shares deals were done. The London Metropolitan Police then requested that the Nigerian government co-operate with it over the arrest and prosecution of the suspects, considering the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between both countries.
The Movement Against Corruption asked President Umaru Yar'Adua to urgently sack Mr. Aondoakaa, stating that "since assumption of office as the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Aondoakaa, rather than expand the scope of law in the promotion of good governance and human rights, has consistently defiled the highly respected office of the Attorney General both in his actions and in his deeds. The Movement Against Corruption in Nigeria, therefore, challenges Mr. President to as a matter of urgency and national interest to sack Mr. Aondoakaa".
Reader Comments (22)
post a comment
* = Required information