Date Published: 09/14/09

HURIWA wants AGF sacked

Following what it termed as persistent surreptitious activities and statements of the Federal Attorney General and minister of Justice Mr. Michael Andooakaa which portrays the Federal Government as protecting alleged corrupt erstwhile state governors from prosecution, a human rights group has demanded the immediate sack of the Attorney General of the Federation and minister of justice for undermining Nigeria’s anti-graft drive.

Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), a development focused and democracy inclined non-governmental organization said the role played so far by the federal Attorney General which shows that the current administration has abandoned the anti-graft battle and has portrayed Nigeria in the international community as a nation that tolerate corrupt practices by high profile political office holders is despicable and reprehensible and must be corrected. HURIWA stated that only the dismissal of the current Attorney General of the Federation and the appointment of an outstanding senior lawyer committed to the anti-graft crusade as the nation’s chief law officer will restore Nigeria’s image in the comity of nations.

The Rights group in a statement endorsed by its national coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and made available to Journalists pointed to the contradictory statements by the Federal Attorney General and minister of Justice which gave the confusing signal that the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) had cleared three formed Governors over the sale of shares to Vmobile telecommunication firm in 2007.

Specifically, the Attorney General of the Federation who cleared the three former state Governors of wrong doings stated thus;

“This case has to do with V mobile shares involving three former governors, Chief James Ibori of Delta State and Senator Bola Tinubu of Lagos State and Obong Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State. I was not aware of the case when I assumed office. I got a request for Mutual legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) from Britain on the 1 st of June. There is a company called African Development Funds Incorporated. The company was engaged to sell the shares of the state to V mobile (Celtel)”.

In the clearance letter, according to the report attributed to the Federal Attorney General, entitled “Re: Alleged Case of Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Abuse of Office and Official Corruption, African Development Fund Inc, Account No. 011400552” dated the 12 th of January, 2009 and signed by Umar Sanda on behalf of the chairman of the commission, EFCC said: “Our letter with ref No. CR:300/EFCC/LS/EG2/VOL. 2/266 dated 21 st March, 2007 on the above subject matter refers:

“In view of the above you are kindly requested to remove the caution placed on the account and allow normal transactions on the account.”

Aondoakaa further said the former governors had been cleared before Britain requested for the details of the case. But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission countered the Federal Attorney General by refuting his statement that the three erstwhile Governors were cleared by the anti-graft agency. In a volte face the Federal Attorney General belatedly claimed that he was misquoted by the media even when all the national dailies carried his declaration that the three former Governors have being cleared.

The Rights group has therefore called on President Yar’adua to sack his minister of Justice now before he brings further disgrace to Nigeria.

HURIWA stated thus; “We are shocked that the current Federal Attorney General has clearly depicted a picture of a public office holder who does not wish the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission well in the fight against corruption. Both by his statements and activities reported variously by the media including some online media journals, the current Attorney General of the Federation has actively worked to undermine the drive against corruption and he has portrayed himself as the private lawyer to all former governors alleged to have looted their states blind. The President must dismiss the Federal Attorney General if he still wants decent people around the World to believe that his administration is willing to battle corruption frontally and rebuild the devastated economy of Nigeria. The President must put a stop to the destruction and looting of the nation’s financial resources by most public office holders under his nose.”