By Osa Okhomina, Edem Edem, Hamzat Baba, Tordue Salem, and Mahmud Mahmud, 29 January 2012
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has concluded arrangements to pounce on five former governors sacked by the Supreme Court on Friday, SUNDAY LEADERSHIP has learnt.
Former governors Admiral Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Ibrahim Idris (Kogi) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) would be invited tomorrow to answer questions over allegations of corruption.
Following the apex court’s decision, the ex-governors have lost their constitutional immunity from interrogation and prosecution as contained in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
A top source at the EFCC told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY that the loss of immunity by the ex-helmsmen of the five states would enable the commission to grill them on allegations levelled against them in petitions before the anti-graft agency. “The EFCC is going to invite some of the five governors for interrogation over some petitions on Monday,” the source said.
He told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY that some of the governors will be required to “write statements and answers to petitions that have flooded the commission”.
The spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who later confirmed the development said: “The commission will pick them up for questioning on Monday, based on petitions written against them by stakeholders.”
He added that the commission had concluded plans to invite the ex-governors even while they were in office, but tarried because of the immunity clause.
Section 308(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended states: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, but subject to subsection (2) of this section (a) no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office.”
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY investigations revealed that the former Governor Sylva of Bayelsa may be the prime target of the anti-graft body following the series of face-off he had with President Goodluck Jonathan and those loyal to him.
There are strong indications, as at press time, that some of the former governors may have gone underground to evade the anti-graft agency’s long arms.
The immunity clause has, since its inclusion in the Constitution, been a shield for corrupt public officeholders.
The Supreme Court had, in a unanimous judgment, on Friday, ruled that the tenure of the then governors were determined by the first Oath of Office and of Allegiance they took on assumption of office.
Kogi State:
The Nigeria Police moved yesterday to douse tension in Kogi State following the swearing-in of two people as governor of the state, saying that the swearing-in of Captain Idris Wada was done in error.
Sequel to the Supreme Court ruling on Friday that removed five state governors, including the former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, both Captain Wada and the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, were respectively sworn-in by different judicial officers.
The assistant inspector-general of police in charge of Zone 8, Mr. Ephraim Amakulor, in a statement yesterday, said that Wada was sworn in an error, as it was in contravention of the provision of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The AIG’s statement, which was signed by Mr. Emmanuel Inyang, a deputy commissioner of police in charge of zonal CID, also noted that the swearing in of the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Bello, was based on the pronouncement of the court.
Bayelsa
The acting governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Nestor Binabo, yesterday effected minor changes in his one-day-old administration with the appointment of a university don, Prof Millionaire Abowei, as the new secretary to the state government (SSG).
Prof Abowei, an indigene of Angiama in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, takes over from Chief Gideon Ekeuwei, a native of Azuzuama also in Southern Ijaw council area. Abowei is to be sworn-in tomorrow at the Gloryland Castle, Governor’s Lodge.
The acting governor, in a statement signed by the assistant director, information, Government House, Mr. Chris Odi, thanked Chief Ekeuwei for his service to the government and called on him to hand over all government properties in his possession to the most senior government official in the service.
According to the statement, the acting governor also approved the appointment of Ebi Avi, a veteran journalist, as his chief press secretary, and A. Austin as the chief of staff, Government House.
The duo take over from Doifie Ola, erstwhile CPS to former Governor Sylva and Samuel Ogbuku, former chief of staff, Government House. The former CPS and chief of staff were also directed to hand over all government properties in their custody.
In a broadcast to the indigenes of the state, Acting Governor Binabo called on all Bayelsans to maintain the peace and eschew acts capable of plunging the state into chaos in the wake of the ruling of the Supreme Court which terminated the elongation of the tenure of the former governor Timipre Sylva.
Binabo enjoined all Bayelsans to maintain the existing peace in the state and desist from any conduct that may cause unrest and destabilize the state polity. “Government will not hesitate to deal decisively with any person found engaging in such unwholesome conduct capable of destabilizing our state polity,” he warned.
Binabo, who was the speaker of the Bayelsa Assembly, was sworn in as acting governor of the state by the chief judge of Bayelsa, Justice Kate Abiri, late Friday shortly after the apex court ruling quashing the argument for the elongation of the tenure of former Governor Sylva.
He charged all security agencies in the state to be on full alert with a view to ensuring the maintenance of peace, safety and security of life and property of the people of the state.
He said: “After I took the Oath of Office yesterday, I solicited for the support and cooperation of all organs of government and the entire citizenry to ensure that the state is effectively governed and administered during the short period that I will be at the helm of affairs.”
The acting governor appealed to all civil servants in the state to carry on with their duties with the decorum and conduct expected of them as public officers, just as he implored all arms of government to operate and function as usual.
Sokoto : Speaker sworn in as acting governor
Fresh facts emerged yesterday to explain why the swearing-in of the acting governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Lawal Zayana, was delayed.
The swearing-in by the state chief judge, Justice Aishat Dahiru, could not take place as expected until 10:30am Saturday amidst anxiety among government officials.
Sources who witnessed the scenario as it unfolded included some key members of the State House of Assembly, who allegedly swore to scuttle the swearing-in of the speaker as acting governor unless some differences that bordered on their welfare were settled.
“What actually delayed the swearing in ceremony was that some members of the House of Assembly demanded some explanation from the speaker regarding their welfare since he is leaving the House for a better place for the meantime,” a source told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY on condition of anonymity.
It was learnt that the affected members threatened to impeach the speaker. It took several hours before the parties could reach a compromise.
However, in his speech, the acting governor, Alhaji Lawali Zayyana, said the occasion was a fulfilment of the constitutional requirement following the judgement of the Supreme Court for the speaker to take charge of the affairs of the state in acting capacity.
He said: “I address you today that the same ruling directed INEC to conduct elections in the state with the immediate past governors as participants for the same office they vacated.”
He assured the people of the state of his commitment to lasting peace.
The acting governor also urged the people to continue to imbibe the virtues of peace for which, according to him, “we are all known for. We shall join hands together to promote unity and peace of our state in whatever capacity we find ourselves,” he said.
Cross River: Odey takes over
Acting governor of Cross River State Hon. Larry Odey has said that his administration would be a continuation of his predecessor’s tenure and urged Senator Liyel Imoke’s aides including the commissioners and other appointees not to panic but remain at their duty posts pending when a new governor is elected for the state.
Speaking while addressing the people of the state in a radio and television broadcast, the acting governor said his “primary responsibility is to carry out governance of the state, stabilize the polity and prepare the enabling environment for the conduct of a free and fair election as will be directed by the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] of Nigeria”.
He promised to adhere to the programme strictly as his government has no intention of altering the machinery of governance by making changes “as this can only be done when it may become necessary”. He added that “all appointees of government particularly members of the State Executive Council are to continue to carry out their duties as usual”.
Odey, who before last Friday represented Yala II State Constituency, asked public servants and members of the public to direct all issues that require his attention to him even as he solicited the cooperation of government workers, particularly permanent secretaries who control the levers of government.
“All ongoing projects and programmes are to continue as scheduled. Consultants and executing ministries, departments and agencies are to ensure that all works are executed according to specifications and timelines. We will not hesitate to bring to book any act capable of disrupting the planned programmes of this administration. We will remain focused on our commitment to serving the people.
“Pending when the Independent National Electoral Commission will commence the process for the governorship election in the state, I appeal to you all to remain law-abiding and go about your daily chores. I thank you all for the understanding shown so far, especially the solidarity shown by various interest groups in the state,” he said.
His deputy at the House of Assembly, Hon Itaya Nyong, has succeeded him as speaker.
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