Date Published: 09/20/09
PRESS RELEASE
Anti-Corruption War: CNPP Threatens Mass Protest Over Aondoakaa
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties ,CNPP has threatened to mobilise Nigerians to protest the continued stay of Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Michael Aondoakaa if President Umar Musa Yar’Adua fails to sack him over his embarrassing blockage of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from doing its work effectively.
The CNPP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu on Sunday stated that the minister has become a national and international embarrassment to Nigeria and Nigerians over his attempts to continue to protect treasury looters from prosecution as if that is the whole purpose of appointing him into office.
According to the statement,’ reports in the papers again today indicate that the Minister has refused to grant the EFCC the needed fiat to provide the London Police the necessary assistance the UK authorities need to commence the trial of former Governor James Ibori and others. This shameless act has again put him on a collision course with Farida Waziri who has obviously decided to break away from him to do her work even after one week of taking a clear position from that of the minister on supposed clearance given by aondoakaa to his corrupt allies.
‘It is obvious from the latest development that the minister set out for an agenda against the London case which commences tomorrow when last week he made a futile attempt to clear some former governors using the name of EFCC. It is an embarrassment to the nation that aondoakaa had to travel to UK to go and clear Ibori before the Met Police, a task he could not push through with the EFCC back at home. It is heart warming that vigilant Nigerians in UK had to chase him out of London on Friday.
‘As things are, the same way Nigerians in UK chased the minister out of London, so the CNPP will mobilise Nigerians at home to force him out of the government if President Yar’adua is not ready to sack him because he has already become not only a disgrace but a liability instead of an asset to the government over his perchant for protecting the corrupt against the interest of the country.
'We have always maitained that in line with section 15(5) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria that the state has a responsibility to abolish corruption in all its ramifications since it is obvious to all that corruption is the bane of our development. As such, the continuous retention of Aondoakaa casts serious doubt on President Yar'Adua's commitment to the war against corruption.'
The Conference wishes to commend and encourage the EFCC Chairman , Mrs Waziri not to succumb to Aondoakaa’s threats and antics since she has decided to do her job the way it should be done and broken away from the coldrum the minister had lured her into. Nigerians will only remember her like her predecessor what she has done to help their course as a bold and courageous woman.
Osita Okechukwu
National Publcity Secretary
CNPP
20/9/09
