[size=16pt]EFCC to disqualify 54 PDP aspirants[/size]

GOMBE—IN its determination to stop corrupt politicians from participating in the 2011 general elections, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, identified 54 corrupt aspirants on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.

The commission said it has forwarded their names to the party to disqualify them from contesting for any public offices.

Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to the EFCC Chairman, Dr. Abubakar Othman, who disclosed this during a courtesy call on Governor Danjuma Goje, however, did not name affected aspirants but promised that the same thing would be done for other political parties.

Othman said he was in support of death penalty for corrupt practices, stressing that such measure was imperative, considering the damage done to the nation by corruption.

He noted: “If you consider the quantum of money stolen by such persons and the attendant hardship inflicted on the ordinary people, one sees a clear manifestation of animalistic behaviour.’’

While assuring that the commission was not going back on its decision to bar corrupt politicians from contesting in the 2011 general elections, he stressed that the commission’s decision to bar corrupt politicians was being “misconstrued’’ in some quarters who were bent on dissuading the anti-graft agency from sanitising the nation’s polity.

Othman said the EFCC was determined to carry out its plan in the best interest of the country, adding that the commission had been keeping a tab on the financial transactions involving some corrupt politicians currently aspiring to contest in the 2011 elections.

He said the commission would stand in the way of corrupt officials to electoral success adding that the EFCC planned to work with the political parties and INEC in disqualifying corrupt aspirants, “but if all else fails, their names will be made public.”

Othman said the commission had embarked on public enlightenment across the country to ensure that Nigerians were duly informed on the need to elect credible politicians into public office.

Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Bage, who represented the governor, said the state government would support the commission’s actions that were deemed to be in the overall interest of the country.

The EFCC team was in Gombe on enlightenment tour of the state.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/efcc-to-disqualify-54-pdp-aspirants/

Now, this news is REALLY suspicious to me.

Why is EFCC waking up now to talk about disqualifying people? This is exactly like Obasanjo days.

Who will be affected and what is the criteria for selecting them?

Were these so called corrupt aspirants found to be corrupt by a court of law?

And the witch-hunt continues

If EFCC have proof these people are corrupt charge them to court and let the judges do their jobs. They keep alowing themselves to be used this foolishly.

are ibb and atiku among?

sammyzacks:

are ibb and atiku among?

huy take am easy now, lol, ur blood is hotting,
jst relax even if them name no dey , their time go soon come, this time it wnt b EFCC mayb scotland, yard,interpol,cia.kgb.fbi,


the plot jst thickens,

business as usual. i know there will soon be another, DROP UR AMBITION OR FACE THE EFCC.

Onlytruth:

Now, this news is REALLY suspicious to me.

Why is EFCC waking up now to talk about disqualifying people? This is exactly like Obasanjo days.

Who will be affected and what is the criteria for selecting them?

Operation totality! Thats what it is called this time around.

This is very welcome development. If we must shun corruption, then we must not allow those who are corrupt to contest. If they contest & win, they will only say, "dont mind those old baboons. We are here to make money." Some of them are already sharing as national cake so many millions of Naira; ill gotten wealth from our Government, to elimimate their political opponents. They end up killing innocent citizens & throwing the Nation into mourning. See the very sad case of the family that lost 4 persons at the Abuja bomb blast incident. This can not continue. The grabbing of ill-gotten wealth will continue if these people said to be corrupt are allowed to come in; they will legalise corruption & it becomes the order of the day. Allowing them to contest tantamounts to putting the cart before the horse. So this is a move in the right direction. Before EFCC accuses anyone of corruption, they must have ample evidence to substantiate their allegation. Well done EFCC for a job well done.

Please name them,

If this is the case, it therefore means that PDP won't have any candidate, because they are all leaders of corruption. . .
EFCC is just a waste of time!

EFCC shouldn't limit this to PDP alone. Don't forget thieves like Orji Kalu still have political parties

ibb must be no. one or else heaven will fall oooooooooooooo

We dont need a fortune teller to tell us our corrupt leaders.
People like Ibb, Atiku, Igbinedion(the thiefest), Ibori(ogidigboigbo; the more u look d less u see), Odili, and so on.
People like these are suppose to be in jail!

jude33084:

We dont need a fortune teller to tell us our corrupt leaders.
People like Ibb, Atiku, Igbinedion(the thiefest), Ibori(ogidigboigbo; the more u look d less u see), Odili, and so on.
People like these are suppose to be in jail!

The list should begin with OBJ and all his god sons including GEJ. Any list minus these folks would be pure nonsense.

Another witch hunting exercise!!!!!!

Why hasnt EFCC prosecuted all those corrupted politicans before now?

Onlytruth:

The list should begin with OBJ and all his god sons including GEJ. Any list minus these folks would be pure nonsense.

GBAM . . . . . . . . .

chosen04:

GBAM . . . . . . . . .

GEJ can't even think up a smoother way to distract his political opponents. What can that guy do without consulting OBJ?
He is becoming too predictable.

In fact I can tell his next moves. I'd simply dust up OBJs playbook.

EFCC dey craze. This woman wan do everything to show that she is working, surry madam farida, it is late already. This naija sef, anybody can just wake and vomit trash, in a country where there is constitution? haba !!!!
If we continue to tolerate this rubbish, walahi, David Mark will just stand up one day and say somebody is not eligible to contest.

I beleive sha that EFCC was just joking or being misquoted by the press.

@Onlytruth

You are not being sensible, is OBJ an aspirant? Or you just want to drag his name into every argument? Has GEJ been proven to be corrupt? Or u dnt know the work of EFCC? Why not ensure that your local government chairman or governor (who has more to offer in terms of governance) is held accountable? Rather than sing the same song every time.

T A Orji should be on d list.EFCC are u listening?

kildran:

@Onlytruth

You are not being sensible, is OBJ an aspirant? Or you just want to drag his name into every argument? Has GEJ been proven to be corrupt? Or u dnt know the work of EFCC? Why not ensure that your local government chairman or governor (who has more to offer in terms of governance) is held accountable? Rather than sing the same song every time.

So what is the difference between what is happening now and what happened in 2006?
Why is EFCC waking up now to say this?
So their job is no longer to arrest and try financial thieves in Nigeria? The EFCC's job now is to stop them from contesting elections?

C'mon! We're not all dumb y'know.

EFCC has no right whatsoever to declare a Governor corrupt, Their job is to fish out suspects and indict them,, only a competent court of law has the right to convict any of them and place the TAG, corrupt on their neck and sleeves, Haba Farida Haba, na wa ooo, where these pple get their law degrees?

I suspect that there are no names on that list they forwarded to the party. They will be inscribing names on the list as events unfold. This is just a ploy to scare and whip people in line. PDP don run Naija down

@ Onlytruth

Maybe you should do some research before posting, EFCC has done nothing new. EFCC tried screening all PDP candidates before the 2007 election. Why was Rotimi Amaechi (and another guy in the South East) unable to contest on the platform of the PDP? Why was Odilli disqualified at the PDP primaries from contesting as Yaradua's vice president? The problem is that the EFCC cannot enforce this, no law in Nigeria stipulates that you must be cleared before contesting.
Having said this Nigerians however must ensure that government at the primary level is held responsible. And if you care to note, everyone is now saying the last three year of OBJ's govt was good, paid our debt, and saved some money (Which the late Yaradua has spent in maintaining govt).

kildran:

@ Onlytruth

Maybe you should do some research before posting, EFCC has done nothing new. [b]EFCC tried screening all PDP candidates before the 2007 election. Why was Rotimi Amaechi (and another guy in the South East) unable to contest on the platform of the PDP? Why was Odilli disqualified at the PDP primaries from contesting as Yaradua's vice president? [/b]The problem is that the EFCC cannot enforce this, no law in Nigeria stipulates that you must be cleared before contesting.
Having said this Nigerians however must ensure that government at the primary level is held responsible. And if you care to note, everyone is now saying the last three year of OBJ's govt was good, paid our debt, and saved some money (Which the late Yaradua has spent in maintaining govt).

No my friend, you are seeing it the other way round. Why is EFCC in the business of stopping people from contesting elections? Is that their primary duty? How many politicians have they sent to jail since Ribadu?
And why are their victims always political opponents of the incumbent president? Why are the most corrupt Nigerian politicians both serving and retired walking around free?
Those are the questions I need answered.
EFCC was used to stop Odili and others you pointed out. Have you wondered why? Wasn't it because Obasanjo suddenly realized that he had no choice than to return the presidency to the north in 2007? Who is fooling who?

@onlytruth

You have a point, because politicians in Ngeria will use anythin as a weapon. But for that it would have been a welcome devt. So I will concede that point to u.

IBB should top that list

Dr Othman should not draw us back. We are way ahead of this crude tactics. Take this allege bad guys to court or resign. I think someone should issue a query to Othman and make him explain this nonsense. If EFCC has fact to stop politicians from contesting, that fact should be presented in court to nail them. EFCC is just showing how unserious it is as an organization. EFCC was not created to stop politicians from contesting, it was established to prosecute alleged financial criminals.

sammyzacks:

are ibb and atiku among?

Very good question. Would also like to know if Alao-Akala and Dimeji Bankole are there.

Does EFCC have the power to stop candidates? I thought Supreme Court already ruled on this case in favour of Atiku,