The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday said that there is no going back in its ongoing investigations of some state governors.

It also vowed that it would not succumb to cheap blackmail from the affected governors who have linked it to 2011 poll.

The commission, which made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja by its Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that already, its operatives have stormed five out of the 10 states under investigations.

The states are: Kebbi, Kwara, Imo, Jigawa and Rivers.

A political group, the Norther Leaders Political Forum (NPLF), otherwise known as the "G15", however, kicked against the probed, which it alleged was targetted at brow-beating the governors into line over the 2011 elections.

The EFCC, in its statement, said it is investigating multi-million naira fraud allegations in the listed states.

The statement reads: "The EFCC wishes to describe as cheap blackmail attempts by some politicians to link its on-going investigation of multi-billion naira fraud allegations in some states to the 2011 elections.

"The insinuations in media reports that it is targeting pro-zoning governors ahead of the 2011 elections are calculated to freeze its hands.

"No amount of propaganda or campaign of calumny will stop EFCC from carrying out its statutory responsibilities of investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crime in any part of the country.

"We have a legitimate duty to investigate and prosecute all forms of economic and financial crimes in all parts of the federation. This we have been doing since the inception of the commission in 2003 and will continue to do within the ambit of the law.

"It is on record that the commission has continued to investigate various fraud allegations in several states of the federation, local government councils, federal agencies and private establishments."

The EFCC also gave insight into why its operatives had been deployed in the five states in question.

It raised four questions for the governors of the five states to answer.

It added: "As such, our on-going investigations of multi-million naira fraud allegations in Kebbi, Kwara, Imo, Jigawa and Rivers States are not different from what we have done in other states before now.

"Rather than making desperate moves to blackmail the commission by imputing illogical meanings to its legitimate duties in a bid to freeze its hands, the questions the brains behind this propaganda should answer are:

"Are there allegations of fraud against their officials? Is the EFCC empowered to investigate such fraud allegations?

"Is there any law barring EFCC from investigating fraud allegations before, during or after elections?

|Should election time be taken as a holiday period when law enforcement agents would have to close their eyes to the looting of public treasury?



"These are some of the pertinent questions whose answers will expose the hidden

agenda of those behind the plot to frustrate the nation’s anti-graft war.

"We will like to re-assure the public, as has often been stated long before now by the leadership of the commission, that the EFCC is not under any pressure from the Presidency or any other quarters to do anyone’s bidding on any issue.

"Attempts to link our operations to political considerations remain a blackmail which will not stop us from doing the needful within the ambit of our statutory responsibilities."

To underscore its determination to probe the affected governors, it was learnt that the EFCC yesterday reinforced its operatives on ground in the five states.

A reliable source in the commission added: "The EFCC chairman has ordered immediate reinforcement of all our operatives in the five states. We are moving to the remaining states next week.

"We have to reinforce because of alleged plans by some officials of the affected states to attack our operatives. We have security reports indicating that they are up to some mischief."

But the Northern Political Leaders Forum (G-15) yesterday asked President Goodluck Jonathan to stop using the EFCC intimidate and harass political leaders opposed to his presidential ambition.

The G-15, in a statement by its spokesman, DR. Iyorchia Ayu, said it is regretful that the nation is sliding back to the era of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The statement titled, "Use of EFCC to intimidate opponents poses threat to democracy, polity," warned the President against turning EFCC into a political Gestapo.

The Northern leaders said: "The Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF), the "G15", urges President Goodluck Jonathan to enthrone a regime of tolerance of political opposition and to desist from the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate and harass governors and political leaders who are opposed to his ill-advised attempt to subvert the agreed zoning formula by seizing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in next year’s general elections."

"The NPLF wishes to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the inherent dangers of turning the EFCC into a political Gestapo of a particular candidate.

"The NPLF wants to make it clear that this development raises serious questions on President Jonathan’s repeatedly stated commitment to free and fair elections, and by extension the survival of the nation’s democracy.

"Sadly, it is giving President Jonathan away as a desperado who is prepared to whip everyone in line in order to confiscate a mandate that is clearly not his.

"In as much as the NPLF is not opposed to the fight against graft, it is, however, manifest that the current onslaught against state governors and political leaders is part of the measures at checking those not well disposed to the bid of President Jonathan.

"It is regrettable that we are witnessing today is a throwback to the Obasanjo days and portends great danger to the credibility of the political process, nay the polity.

"While we stand shoulder to shoulder with all our elected courageous governors in the current struggle, we call on the Presidency to retrace its steps by tolerating opposition without which there can be no enduring democracy and rule of law.

"We call on governors and all genuine lovers of democracy to close ranks and stand up against this strain of dictatorship."





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Enthrone a regime of 100% corruption tolerance u mean? Nonsense Ayu!