PRESS RELEASE

9th October, 2008

GOVERNOR CHIBUIKE AMECHI

THE LOOTING UNLIMITED

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties {CNPP} was alarmed when the news filtered out that Governor Chibuike Amechi and his cronies have continued the looting of resources meant to develop Rivers State, consequently fueling the insurgency, that is sliding into civil war in the Niger Delta.

advertisement

Whereas CNPP commends the EFCC and ICPC for always alerting Nigerians of the monumental corruption going in the land; however we regret that EFCC and ICPC are wittingly or unwittingly protecting and shielding the same looters. At times we are constrained to point accusing fingers on the anti-graft agencies for collaboration with federal, state and local government looters.

We predicate our allegation on the premise, that inspite of adequate legal framework and mechanism, the head of the agencies had failed to muster the necessary political will to prosecute diligently culprits. Otherwise, when ex-governor Dr Peter Odili is a freeman, enjoying his loot, what on earth will dissuade or induce fear on Governor Amechi from stealing?

In the same vein when the anti-graft agencies, in the face of the exit of the immunity clause allowed ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and 31 ex-governors, whose investigations had been concluded by EFCC and ICPC, not only to hold sway as powers behind President Umaru Yaradua’s throne, but to make laws at the parliament for those they raped.

The paradox of this unholy alliance between the public looters and the anti-graft agencies, is not only inhibiting the growth of democracy, but constituting the greatest security threat to our dear country. Failure to prosecute culprits had led to the phobia to pass the Freedom of Information Bill, the mutilation of the Procurement Act and abandonment of State function, as exemplified by the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Act.

That Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his clan are unfettered and unencumbered by the anti-graft agencies had unfortunately, placed Nigeria in the hall of infamy of the Transparency International, Corruption Perception Index and Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance, where we are 121 out 180 and  39 out of 48 countries respectively assessed.

This shameful and unenviable position is despite over 70 Trillion naira that accrued to Nigeria from the unprecedented oil windfall: a golden oil age that might not happen agaian.

CNPP calls on EFCC and ICPC to as a matter of urgent national importance to muster the political will, cooperate and execute Section 52 of the ICPC Act and forward the names of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the 31 ex-governors to Chief Justice of Nigeria to nominate Independent Counsels to quickly prosecute the culprits.

CNPP for the umpteenth time offers to volunteer Independent Counsels of unquestionable integrity to prosecute the culprits.

Osita Okechukwu

National Publicity Secretary

CNPP

08039738870