As President Buhari Continue to Condone Corruption; How APC Ignored EFCC’s Advice Not To Field Audu As Kogi Guber Candidate - Premium Times

Documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES have shown how the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, seeking the disqualification of the  gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Abubakar Audu, from contesting the forthcoming governorship election in  the state.

 

Mr. Audu won the primary election of the APC on August 30 amidst calls by some Nigerians that fielding him as candidate was a negation of the ruling party’s anti-graft war. In a letter dated September 21, 2015, with reference number EFCC/EC/SGF/03/59, and titled “F.R.N Vs Abubakar Audu & 1 other Charge No: FCT/CR/115/ 2013”, the EFCC chairman wrote to the secretary to the government of the federation reminding him that Mr. Audu was standing trial for corruption.

 

“The candidate was arraigned by the Commission for abuse of office, theft of public funds and money laundering during his tenure as Executive Governor of Kogi State between 1999 and 2003 at both Kogi High Court, Lokoja in 2006 and the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo Abuja in 2013,” Mr. Lamorde wrote.

 

“The Lokoja case was stalled for six years on the account of frivolous interlocutory applications by the accused person, which has taken us twice to the Supreme Court and eventually decided in the commission’s favour on 23rd November 2012. “The trial effectively continued in 2013 with the filing of fresh charges in Abuja. Eight prosecution witnesses have so far given evidence and 166 exhibits tendered at the proceedings, while the case adjourned till 14th October 2015 for continuation of trial.

 

“We are genuinely concerned that the trial will be suspended for another four years if Prince Audu emerges as Kogi State Governor, similar to the situation of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State. “While not being unmindful of the constitutional presumption of innocence of all accused persons until proven guilty, we are nevertheless greatly concerned that swearing in of another accused person as Executive Governor in Nigeria may not be in consonance with the current anti-corruption policy of the new administration.” Read Full New Article Here