₦airaland Forum

An elder statesman, Dr Chike Obidigbo, has described the prosecution of former Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as politically motivated.

Obidigbo, in a statement yesterday, regretted that the anti-graft agency seemed to have become a willing tool in the hands of desperate politicians and malicious businessmen with an axe to grind against their opponents.

“For EFCC to keep losing many court cases shows that all is not well with the commission’s standard operating mechanism,” he contended.

Obiano is standing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on charges of allegedly stealing the state’s security votes amounting to N4bn while in office as governor from March 2014 to March 2022.

Obidigbo argued that the idea of prosecuting state governors after their tenure runs counter to the spirit and letter of the Nigerian Constitution.


He asserted that there was no way the same constitution that grants immunity to state chief executives would empower an external body to subject them to post-service inquisition, insisting that the EFCC should stop overstepping its constitutional bounds by arrogating to itself a superior role over the state House of Assembly.

He stated: “A lot of things are going topsy-turvy in this country. The harassment of state governors after their tour of duty is in total violation of constitutional provisions. In the presidential democracy which we pretend to practise, the legislature is the main organ of oversight on the activities of the executive.

“In recent times, EFCC has transformed itself into attack dogs, going after former governors in search of what is not missing. Governors are elected to serve the people, and as such, the people are better placed to police the governors through their representatives in the legislature.

“Security votes have been rendered opaque by the constitution, which categorises them as funds in a blind budget. So, if the constitution empowers state governors to implement the blind budget as they deem fit, EFCC should have no business searching for departed sums.”

He remarked that Obiano’s predicament is particularly distressing, not only because of the amount of money under investigation but also because the former governor is being punished by those who believe that the Anambra North Senatorial District, where he hails from, has nobody to come to his aid.

While reminding EFCC and its sponsors that there is God, Obidigbo noted: “There is no way a former governor should be dragged up and down in the name of fighting corruption without the input of his home state.


“It is based on this reality of political witch-hunt that I have decided to urge EFCC to leave Willie Obiano alone immediately.

“Why should Nigerian authorities derive pleasure in punishing her citizens, particularly Ndigbo?

“Obiano should be allowed to enjoy his deserved rest and take care of his health.

“He served his people to the best of his ability. As an elder, I am very concerned that the first governor to emerge from my zone should be subjected to this demeaning treatment.

“After all, how does N4bn compare to the hundreds of billions stolen by other governors? If after eight years as a state governor, all he could not account for, by EFCC’s reckoning, is a mere N4bn in today’s Nigeria, Obiano should be congratulated as a saint rather than persecuted. He should therefore be left alone to enjoy his liberty after a very stressful eight-year tenure.”

Furthermore, he wondered why former presidents, who enjoy the same constitutional immunity as state governors, are not subjected to post-service inquisition. He called on the National Assembly to ensure that the EFCC does not become an emerging danger to Nigeria’s democracy.


He noted that instead of serving as a deterrent, the EFCC’s investigation of former governors after their tenure only expands the circle of corruption, as operatives resort to extortion, blackmail, and the use of faceless individuals and groups to intimidate suspects.

Source : https://thesun.ng/obidigbo-accuses-efcc-of-political-witch-hunt-in-obianos-trial/?amp

This corrupt Obidigbo should tell the world what he benefited from Obiano.

If he is so desperate to defend his benefactor he should join the legal team and present his case before the Fed High Court and stop this smear campaign.

The law is trite on the powers of the EFCC to prosecute anyone suspected of financial misdeeds.

The laws relied upon by EFCC are enacted by the Fed legislatures and even in some instances state legislatures.

It is a shame for this man to try to downplay accountability by saying Ex Govs should not be probed because there is a house of assembly of the state

Mtchewwwww
Either he is licking the boots of his political master or his political master obiano gave him this script to read.

Oga go face your accusers

Let him defend himself in court that money belong to Anambra people

Menclothing1:
Let him defend himself in court that money belong to Anambra people

Obiano still performed more than Obi in Anambra state. Anambra’s money is with Obi not Obiano.

GOD PUNISH BUHARI.


HE THINK ANAMBRA IS IMO STATE.


ALL THIS BECAUSE OBIANO DID NOT DEFECT TO APC AND HAND OUR DEAR STATE TO FULANI TERRORIST.

k

Probing security votes is waste of time, energy and resources

“After all, how does N4bn compare to the hundreds of billions stolen by other governors? If after eight years as a state governor, all he could not account for, by EFCC’s reckoning, is a mere N4bn in today’s Nigeria, Obiano should be congratulated as a saint rather than persecuted. He should therefore be left alone to enjoy his liberty after a very stressful eight-year tenure.”

Comedian

I swear to God how I wish the rest Igbo can tell Anambra people to pls go back to wherever they all migrated from because 85% of them are not originally Igbo including that a s s hole called Peter Obi who is hidden his root claiming igbo.

Ndi Anambra wahala too much. Pesin stole money obidigbo turned it witchunting, imagine?

Chucks13:
I swear to God how I wish the rest Igbo can tell Anambra people to pls go back to wherever they all migrated from because 85% of them are not originally Igbo including that a s s hole called Peter Obi who is hidden his root claiming igbo.

Ndi Anambra wahala too much. Pesin stole money obidigbo turned it witchunting, imagine?

no one has told you,you are demon possessed

ogolemati:
no one has told you,you are demon possessed

No kindly tell me how demoing look like I guess you are a demon yourself or possessed by demon to know who is demonised.

so werin dem sup use?

God punish this man

Chucks13:
No kindly tell me how demoing look like I guess you are a demon yourself or possessed by demon to know who is demonised.

you need to book a session with me to help cast out those demons that is using your body as their house

Yahaya Bello is Igbo too abi?

Later same fools will come out to say Governors keep looting, yet dont want them to be held accountable after immunity tenure.

Deranged phools

ogolemati:
you need to book a session with me to help cast out those demons that is using your body as their house

First cast out that demon of tribalism, bigot, allergy to the truth, obi slave syndrome and chronic Kannu slev syndrome destroying your life right now.

Be heal in Jesus name.

Chucks13:
First cast out that demon of tribalism, bigot, allergy to the truth, obi slave syndrome and chronic Kannu slev syndrome destroying your life right now.

Be heal in Jesus name.

at what age did you start reasoning like this to know the number of years this demons had lived in you.so I will know the kind of wood to use in casting them out from your body

ogolemati:
at what age did you start reasoning like this to know the number of years this demons had lived in you.so I will know the kind of wood to use in casting them out from your body

E pain am, ntoor!!!

ogolemati:
you need to book a session with me to help cast out those demons that is using your body as their house

He really needs it.

Chucks13:
E pain am, ntoor!!!

E pain me that demons are using your body as their house ok ,so you don't need to be delivered then

ogolemati:
E pain me that demons are using your body as their house ok ,so you don't need to be delivered then

Buluba balablu

Chucks13:
Buluba balablu

when did you join the agbero union nairaland branch