Solicitor to former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Ibifaka Goodluck Jonathan, First Law Associates, has given the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, 14 days with effect from September 18 to defreeze her accounts and tender a public apology to her.
Senior Partner, First Law Associates, Timipa Okponipere Esq. in an open letter to EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, urging the Commission to leave Mrs. Jonathan alone, warned that it refused to conform: “We shall file an action at the African Commission on Human Rights at the Gambia demanding N5 billion in exemplary and punitive damages.”
The solicitor observed: “There is no established legal or political precedent for what the EFCC is currently doing to our client. How many former First Ladies in Nigeria have received the Patience Goodluck Jonathan Treatment (PGJT) to have warranted the EFCC to engage in the effrontery to freeze our client’s accounts and subject her to public opprobrium, ridicule and disgrace? This nonsense must stop forthwith.”
He said: “Our client is a respected senior citizen of international repute, a retired Permanent Secretary and the immediate past First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our Client is a law-abiding citizen who has never or at all been the subject of any criminal and/or financial investigation, whether at home or abroad. Accordingly, she has not been found guilty of any criminal conduct throughout a sparkling public service career spanning over 35 years.”
“During the 5 years our client served as First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between May, 2010 and May, 2015; she was the Initiator/Founder of the A. ARUERA WOMEN FOUNDATION as well as the WOMEN FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE; both of which Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) substantially contributed to the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in the country.
Our Client is the recipient of numerous local and international awards in recognition of her untiring commitment towards uplifting the living standard of women, children and the aged in Nigeria.
“Sir, it is against this sterling and meritorious background of our client that we most respectfully, write to draw your attention to the numerous breaches of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004 committed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in cause of the Commission’s illegal and unlawful investigation of our client for alleged money laundering. These investigations have reportedly led to the freeze of our client’s accounts and led to untold consequences to our client’s health and wellbeing,” the solicitor asserted.
He added: “The EFCC must realize that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 is inferior in content and quality to both the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 2004.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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I love this action. This EFCC nonsense must stop
ReplyDeleteIt's like these people drink a lot.
ReplyDeleteDon't mind the brainless folks. They are looking for every means to divert their hollowness incompetence and emptiness.
ReplyDeleteefcc stop fooling us bcos we knw eve
ReplyDeleterytin,is only d fools u cn fool
“The EFCC must realize that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 is inferior in content and quality to both the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 2004.”... that is absolutely correct...come to think of it EFCC is one the most corrupt(not the kind of buhari corrupt victimisation) institution in nigeria ,used by the government to hunt prominent opposition party members
ReplyDeleteYou think we are in PDP era. Sorry Mr man. Go to ICJ not even where you mentioned, ewu.
ReplyDeleteBloody rogue
ReplyDeleteThis bloody rogues still dey brag. Better lock this delter hippopotamus quick. She think that dummy Jonathan still in charge.Oleeeeeee, barawo bansa. Nigerians are waiting to see your worst. The same Ibori, and Alayagbamgba family.
ReplyDeleteThe rule of law has been suspended oh
ReplyDeleteSo Madam "na only u waka come" did not commit any crime by spending millions of dollar she cannot account for when an average Nigerian cannot afford a cup of gari..God go punish all her supporters
ReplyDeleteM| sentiments exactly
DeleteMy sentiments exactly
DeleteM| sentiments exactly
Deletebring back our money or else jail mrs jonathan
ReplyDeleteInyresting, a person who is under investigation and whose accounts in other people's/companies names is commanding the federal government of a country to unfreeze their accounts when they can't say the orignal source of the money 30 million dollars nor be garri o! For medical bills. And people are saying the EFCC is wrong. Nigerias 1)How much is your present salary.
ReplyDelete2) How much do you have saved in your account.
3) Do you have electrical power this morning.
4) Are your roads good and safe.
5) Can you afford to pay hospital bills incase of cancer.
6) Do you have a functional police service. If you call would they come.
Only God can save Nigeria form Nigerians.
Even the west has left us alone.
True talk. Some people have lost every iota of what is right or wrong
DeleteIf EFCC is indeed working, Dogara and his cohorts should be in custody now. And except these guys are called to book, whatever any anti-graft agency is doing in this country is totally sabotage and political witch-hunt. It is indeed a mirage.
ReplyDeletethis semi-illitrate women jex ate all our yam tunder fire u
ReplyDeleteNigeria is really fantastically corrupt, not because of its elite who disregard all known laws and conventions enshrined in the constitution or otherwise contained in charters to plunder the common wealth of the citizens, but because the citizens rise in their numbers defending the stealing and mismanagement by these corrupt elements. It is ridiculous how a congregation of self serving lawyers want Nigerians to accept that thieves have rights to enjoy their loot as though thieving is a legitimate business. They justified Mama Peace's encumbrance on grounds that her predecessors in the unconstitutional office she held were never investigated, found wanting and asked to account for all the monies entrusted to them. They believed their client enjoys life immunity from prosecution having served as first lady of the Federation. While presenting their diversionary position, they conveniently avoided telling Nigerians what venture she engaged in that yielded such humongous benefits within the five or six years that her husband was accidentally the number one citizen of the country. It is even astounding how they claimed that she served meritoriously in Bayelsa where she retired as a permanent secretary, conspicuously avoiding to mention that her bank balances are savings she had made while she was in active service. They threatened a commission which derived its powers from the constitution as though the are not knowledgeable that in the exercise of its mandate, EFCC is subject only to the constitution, not some African Charter. What a mirage. The painful thing is how the teaming population of youths from a section of the country continue to express their disdain for due process and disrespect for orderliness and unrighteousness. They feel aligned with dubiousness, highhandedness, and docility. Indeed they venture into such unwholesome activities as oil bunkering, kidnapping, baby factory production, and election rigging. What a disaster to a country, which if rightly directed would have been among the world powers 17 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThank u my brother.They should lick her up in a cage like zoo monkey.My brother if u go to d south south and see the rug the common ppl live in !!!the fear of God will grip u.If na witch hunt,well I'm good,let d next administration witch hunt buhari's government as well.Account has to start at some point,we can't keep 9n saying,well d government should prove d obasanjo'a administration as well.It will never end,if buhari probes obasonjo,whose administration was just as corrupt,he might as well go back and probe d administration of tafa balewa as well.It has to start at some point,and good luck Jonathan's regime saw an unprecedented pillaging of the country's wealth.They should all pay irrespective of tribe & religious affiliation.
DeleteWhy do people from south south support thieves and celebrate corrupt tendencies?. If they're are not drunk or not under the influence of some substances, and have followed this case since it came to public domain, they ought to know the wife of the former president is nothing but a thief who connived with her likes to rubbish the good hearted GEJ.
ReplyDeleteTell us how much other president wives collected as medical bills,it is then I will know which side to be. Do not give us fake report,let us know the truth, enough of this news paper accusation of only one side. APC liers.
ReplyDeleteTell us why the immediate past govt dnt have the nerves to prob there predecessor.. It's got to start somewhere and the more realistic govt to start from is from the past govt. The efcc was not after her initially and those involved beg guilty until she came to the show to claim it's her money.. Who those she think she is. Let her prove the ownership.. Can you imagine a part threatening the whole
DeleteNobody is above investigations ooo, EFCC should do their work without fear, if they like let them go to ICJ. just imagine the amount in question.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Lamorde? Please can someone tell me?
ReplyDeleteWhere is Lamorde? Please can someone tell me?
ReplyDeleteHow can somebody medical money be kept in a 4 different company account?
ReplyDeletel think the 4 companies had Managers and patient should not border herself too much if that money really belong to the companies
God punish all those pursuing Patience Jonathan.
ReplyDelete