The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) says conviction of All Progressives Congress (APC) prominent
members has vindicated it against accusations of being selective in its fight
against graft.
Spokesman of the commission, Mr
Wilson Uwujaren, said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Uwujaren was referring to Jolly
Nyame and Joshua Dariye, both former two-term governors of Taraba and Plateau,
respectively.
Uwujaren stated that the
convictions had “put a lie to the often repeated charge by critics and cynics
that the EFCC (the prosecutor) is lukewarm in prosecuting chieftains of the
ruling party for corruption’’.
He said, “Both trials had been
ongoing for 11 years and towards the end of the proceedings, the two convicts
changed their political camps, moving from the opposition Peoples Democratic
Party to the ruling APC.
“Dariye, who won election into
the Senate on the platform of the PDP, decamped to the ruling APC at a critical
phase of his trial, when the prosecution had called all its vital witnesses and
conviction appeared imminent.
“Not surprisingly, this fuelled
speculation that the gambit was a calculated move to stave off imminent
conviction.
“But rather than slow
proceedings, his trial accelerated, forcing the defence to close its case, thus
setting the stage for the judgment of June12.”
The EFCC spokesman said Mr
Mohammed Dakingari, a former Accountant-General of Kebbi and member of the APC
was also convicted of corruption and sentenced to 70 years in prison.
He added that former Gov. Orji
Kalu of Abia was still undergoing prosecution in court by the EFCC even after
crossing to the APC.
The commission, according to him,
has closed its case in that matter after calling several witnesses.
“But, rather than open his
defence, Kalu elected to file a ‘no case submission’.
“It will be up to the court to
determine whether the commission has presented enough evidence to warrant him
to enter his defence.
“From these cases, Nigerians can
now appreciate the fact that the EFCC is apolitical, blind to the political
colours and affiliations of crime suspects.
“It will be foolhardy for any
politically-exposed person under prosecution to think that mere change of
political affiliation will guarantee immunity from prosecution.
“Rather than entertain idle gossips who thrive
on haranguing the EFCC with charges of selectivity, these two recent
convictions offer Nigerians the opportunity to better appreciate the efforts
and sacrifices of the commission.”
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