- Safiu Kehinde
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has slammed Bauchi State Governor , Bala Mohammed , over his claim of being persecuted under the influence the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
NPO Reported that Bala had in an interview of Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily programme last week accused Wike of orchestrating the EFCC’s probe of his Commissioner for Finance over alleged terrorism funding.
The governor had declared Wike a terrorist, accusing him of being after his life.
Reacting in a statement issued on its official X handle on Friday, the EFCC expressed its displeasure with Bala’s claim of the commission being used by political opponents like Wike to persecute him and his aides.
The anti-graft agency labelled the claims as wild and derogatory while reiterating its stance as a non-partisan body.
“These claims are as wild as they are far- fetched. The EFCC is an independent agency created to fight economic and financial crimes.
“The Commission is non- partisan and discharges its mandate without affection or ill will. The attempt to portray it as a pliable agency that panders to the demands of certain political interests is therefore mischievous and condemnable.
“It is derogatory for Mohammed to ascribe the Commission’s activities in Bauchi State to the Influence of Mr. Wike.
“It is important to state that no political office holder is in a position to influence the investigative activities of the Commission.” The statement partly read.
Meanwhile, the EFCC revealed that Bala had been charged with money laundering as at the time he won the Bauchi gubernatorial election.
However, the constitutional immunity bestowed on him had prevented the commission from taking action.
“If Bala Mohammed wants to be honest, he would have revealed to Nigerians that he was standing trial for money laundering at the time he won election as governor of Bauchi State.
“Only the constitutional Immunity from prosecution, which his current office attracts, has put that case in abeyance. Who also influenced the Commission to investigate him in 2016 and charge him to court?” The EFCC wrote.
The commission held that the facts against some of the Bauchi State government are already placed before the court.
It urged members of the public to access the charges and decide for themselves whether the case is borne out of vendetta or is a product of painstaking investigation by the EFCC.
The EFCC disclosed that the evidence presented before the court revealed reason why Bala as the approving authority in Bauchi State is mentioned in the charge.
It charged the Bauchi governor to live up to public accountability as it labelled his cry of persecution as hypocrisy.
“Crying wolf over issues of terrorism financing is like clutching at straws. The Commission did not invent the law, and where there are offences punishable by extant laws, EFCC will be failing in its responsibility to do otherwise.
“Public accountability should be the priority of politicians of all persuasions. It is the height of hypocrisy for opposition politicians to be quick to scream persecution each time an opposition figure is called to account but are mute when a member of the ruling party faces the same ordeal.
“Recently the Commission arraigned a ranking member of the ruling party in court for alleged corruption, and not a whimper of persecution was heard from any of the political divide.
“Governor Mohammed should face the governance of Bauchi State and allow the EFCC focus more on cleaning the financial space of the nation, in line with its assigned mandate.” The commission added.