The Amaechi and Waziri’s Cumbersome System

Saying that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has become a major critic or watchdog of the Rivers State government is not in the bad test. What is in the bad test is the mountain of abuses that have cropped-up among the officials of the EFCC and the Rivers State Government. Their inglorious words, without doubt, were manufactured when the EFCC on Thursday October 9, 2008 arraigned the Rivers State Chief of Staff, Ezebunwo Nyeson Wike on a 7 count charge of criminal breach of trustand conversion of public funds totaling N4.670 Billion (Four Billion, Six Hundred and Seventy Million Naira) belonging to the Rivers State Government and allegedly committed between 2007 and 5th June, 2008, before an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Abimbola Banjoko in Gudu district of the Federal Capital Territory over allegations of fraud. Wike, we were told that the offences according to the EFCC as contained in its charge sheet were in contravention of sections 315,309 of the Penal Code, Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990. Wike pleaded not guilty to all the Charges.

This was the same way the EFCC came to Port Harcourt in December 2006, while Amaechi was Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly, and arrested the secretary to the state government of Dr. Peter Odili, his finance commissioner, Mr. Kobani and two other commissioners. Reports also had it that other state government officials implicated in the huge financial scam perpetrated by the Peter Odili's government in Rivers State ran away from the EFCC operatives. Mr. Arumemi-Johnson, owner of the new start up airline-ARIK Air whom the EFCC also arrested and detained. Reports said that the EFCC raided the headquarters of Arik Airline in lagos and carted away documents relating to the management. All the Rivers State officials arrested by the EFCC were detained in their Awolowo Road office in Lagos. We cant forget in a hurry that the then Rivers State commissioner of information, Mr.Magnus Abe, issued a terse statement in Port Harcourt acknowledging that some state government officials were arrested by the EFCC, but declined to give their names or state reasons why they were picked up. He only said some of the officials had given statements to the EFCC?

While that lasted. The EFCC first batch of 12 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly under Amaechi-led Government of Rivers State was at the EFCC offices in Abuja to answer questions on Tuesday, June 30. Reports had it that another batch of House members visited the EFCC offices on Wednesday, July 1. Sources revealed that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Tonye Harry, was part of the first batch of

legislators that were interrogated by the EFCC on Tuesday, but were allowed the allowed to go on bail after answering questions from EFCC operatives and writing their statement. Investigations also revealed that a female member of the House experienced some serious health issues during interrogations. Sources said that the members were invited by the EFCC following petition from a Rivers State. The alleged petition was for the House members to account for their constituency project allocations, following the insistence that the constituency projects were awarded and supervised by the state ministry of works. Investigations also revealed that some members of the House may have nominated companies that belonged to them, cronies or even relatives. There was an alleged reliably information that a member of the House used a company belonging to another member to execute a constituency project in her district.

Since the EFCC came like European sniffing dogs in Port Harcourt; the capital of Rivers State and held Mr. Magnus Abe, who is now the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and unconstitutionally detained the key members of Amaechi's team over N5B alleged fraud charges involving Chief Nyesom Wike, Chief of Staff of the Rivers State Governor, today, both the EFCC and the Rivers State Government have had baptism of fire as the Appeal CourtAbuja on 17th July, 2009, said that EFFC is hoodwinking the public and had hitherto been pursuing a hidden vendetta agenda in a case of misplaced priority which is itself precarious to the development and growth of the Rivers State.

A lot of people saw the detention, according to Chief Eze Chikwuemeka Eze, the Publicity Secretary of Rivers Action Congress (AC), as a deliberate attempt to destabilize the operations of the State government under the Governor's focused and determined Leadership. In an attempt to discredit the incumbent government, the EFCC arrogated to itself the unconstitutional responsibility of checking the account books of the State Government and by so doing usurping the powers and functions of the State House of Assembly. We give kudos to the Judiciary for once again demonstrating maturity and establishing itself as not only the bastion of our democracy but also the last hope of the common man. Justices Olujimi Lokulo-Sodipe, Abdu Aboki and Olukayode Bada have demonstrated through this historical judgement proven that Judiciary can be trusted at any time.

The stakeholders in this administration called on the EFCC to issue as a matter of urgency and unconditional public apology to the Rivers State Government and its people for its failed attempt to derail the focused leadership of Gov. Amaechi by portraying his administration as corrupt.

Chief Eze went further: It is sad that EFFC both under the erstwhile leadership of Nuhu Ribadu and now Waziri, is widely regarded as a Vendetta tool to be used against real and perceived enemies of the government or any parties or bodies with the needed clout to use government machinery to its advantage. This notwithstanding, it beats our imagination that some two years after proven facts of corruptible practices and wanton looting of Rivers State Government coffers have emerged against Sir Peter Odili, the erstwhile Governor of Rivers State is yet to be brought to book by the EFCC.

On his part, Governor Amaechi berates the EFCC. “I am tired of people fighting corruption by just picking up anybody they want to pick up”, adding that “while fighting corruption, you must obey the Law, because you were set up by Law; its not good to bend the law as it pleases you and do things with impunity”, Amaechi was quoted to have said to newsmen at the launching of EFCC's Anti Corruption Revolution Campaign (ANCOR) in Abuja. Hear Amaechi again: “their job is to investigate legally, and go to court for the court to decide”. Amaechi frowned at the EFFC, with impunity without regards to the Rule of Law. He condemned the action of EFCC that the state has a Court Judgment against the EFCC, and another Court Order restraining the Agency from harassing or going near any Rivers State Government Official, but rather than obey the Law, the EFCC is going ahead making publications against the state in violation of these court orders.

Amaechi Warns, “Everybody must be bound by the Laws of the Land, including the EFCC, and the State Government…….the mere routine withdrawal of approved monies from the bank, by appropriate officials, does not in any way constitute corruption, as EFCC is making the world believe”.

As if Amaechi was assuming credibility, the chairman of the EFCC, Farida Waziri, flared up on hearing what Amaechi was reportedly to have said and described the governor's criticism of her agency as childish. She made this point to journalists during a question and answer session at the Commission's head office. She further said “that the statement credited to Mr. Amaechi last Friday was unbecoming of a state chief executive”.

However, Waziri saw the governor's utterance as a mere threat and vowed that the threat will not work with her officers. Hear her: No amount of attack from the governor or any of his officials will stop us from carrying out our statutory responsibilities anywhere, including Rivers…I believe the governor should talk more like a matured person occupying an exalted office. If he has nothing to hide, I don't see any reason why he is shielding his officials from investigation. We can understand his own case, that he currently enjoys immunity, but then he shouldn't jubilate too soon.

Since then, reactions have been pouring out from Nigerians. Some say all this are rubbish. EFCC, if you are so intent on investigation in Rivers, what about Odili? Why should Waziri present an inexperienced team for very delicate assignments? The ministers are spending our funds on irrelevant things, almost all of them. The National Assembly is not free. What of the presidency/ first lady? If Waziri is serious with her fight against corruption, she should start from the presidency, down to ministers. Without much effort all others will sit up. Waziri can not be better than the "BAD" Nuhu, can you? Strangely, the N5 billion amounts in question in the fraud case against Nyesom Wike is the same amount that AP allegedly owes Access bank and struggling to pay. I wonder what is happening in our dear country. It shows how weak the crime watchdog has turned itself to be. They know each other well that you cannot threaten them. It is a game that even EFCC knows that the ball is in their court of the Governors. When you make the single mistake of dining with them once you are finished. He who pays the piper dictates its tune.

The 'HOLY WAZIRI' can never be better than the "BAD NUHU". She promised to get to book the corrupt ex-governors who are without immunity but till date nothing has been heard of from that corner. She should stop fooling us Nigerians because we all know how she got there. Here we are with threats and allegations. EFCC is now more busy working on people that are apparently immuned, what has EFCC done to those that cannot make threats, the people that they now have free access to after their long era of tyranny that were characterized by different categories of fraud and evils? Did Ibori threaten Waziri, has Odili been prosecuted, and the rest principalities and powers in high and low places? Sure this EFCC crusade lacked sincerity right from inception. But then, Waziri and Co should beware that they will not succeed in fooling all Nigerians, after fooling themselves. Only a few still fall for these lies. EFCC is not serious. What is Waziri talking about Amaechi, threatening her when she know fully well that they have no case? What about those that don't have immunity, where did Egwu have 130million for a party? How many ministers have immunity? If Waziri doesn't know what else to do, let her go and pick her clothes where she took her bath.

Waziri, you talk too much and act very little. For Nuhu Ribadu, it was action and not words. Where are the people fingered in the Power project scandal? What of the 31 Governors who have since lost their immunity? If you cannot locate their file....Oh holy Moses, I am ready to get it for you within 30 seconds. Just give me a call. It's a shame on our leaders, for things like this we still see them happening in our society, if a Governor in the present Nigeria we are is still covering his aides from being investigated for alleged fraud; it's a BIG SHAME on our Democracy. When shall we learn to be truthful in this country of ours called Nigeria? Mind you, God is watching we all and the Day of reckoning is getting nearer.

May God forgive our Leaders and help us in this country!

Odimegwu Onwumere is the Founder of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Rivers State. +2348032552855. apoet_25@yahoo.com

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