Some groups in Abia State, Abia Youths Consultative Forum, Abia
Peoples Congress and Ndi Abia League have petitioned President Muhammadu
Buhari over an alleged delay in the trial of a former governor of the
state, Orji Uzor Kalu.
According to a joint press statement signed by the leaders of the
groups, the groups called for a speedy prosecution of Kalu on alleged
corruption charges.
The statement, which was signed by Udoka Nnanna, Davidson Kalu, and
Ezinwa Ukaogo, on behalf of the groups, urged the President to ask the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to fast-track the trial to
ensure that justice was not delayed or denied.
The groups said the delay in the trial of Kalu, for over eight
years that he was dragged to court by the EFCC, was unacceptable.
They commended President Buhari for his determination to fight
corruption and urged him not to allow any agency of government to hinder
his anti-corruption programmes.
The statement, issued on Sunday, read in part, “It is shocking that
the trial of Orji Uzor Kalu by the EFCC is still on, eight years after
he left office. Abia State indigenes are disturbed by this ugly
development. We wonder why up till now the former governor’s prosecution
has not been concluded. We hope the EFCC has not compromised its
principles as it is being insinuated in some quarters. The President
should order the EFCC to expedite action on the trial of the former
governor so that justice would be seen to be duly done.”
The groups, therefore, appealed to Buhari to ensure that no corrupt person, no matter his status, escapes prosecution.
Meanwhile, Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has defended President Buhari
over his decision to limit the probe of corrupt public officials in the
country to only those that served in the last five years.
Keyamo ,who said this on his Twitter handle on Sunday, argued that
since the purpose of the probes was to recover looted funds, people
should not question the wisdom of focusing on the last five years.
He said, “President Buhari’s present efforts in ensuring probity is
the real reason why Nigerians voted for him. We knew he has the will and
track record to do it. We didn’t expect less
“It’s amusing that those to be probed have kept mute and are running
from pillar to post while some people are busy defending them.
“You are either in total support of the fight against corruption and
the recovery of our stolen wealth, or you are full of corrupt
tendencies. Some people only support moves against corruption only if it
involves those they dislike but they conjure dubious logic to defend
political, religious and ethnic allies.”
punch