Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former state governors and other politicians who may have looted the Treasury in office.
This is contained in an open letter he wrote to the chairman of the commission, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, made available to the media on Tuesday.
Noting that the many cases against some of the former governors and other politicians appeared to have been abandoned by the commission, he urged the EFCC to revive them, saying that corruption will never end if it is treated with levity.
“I also wish to advise you that all former governors who served the country and some who looted their state treasury, as it is alleged in Yahaya Bello’s case, should be investigated by your commission with rapidity to enable Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to carry out his anti-corruption crusade,” he said.
Clark called on the former Kogi State governor, now being sought by the EFCC over corruption allegations, Yahaya Bello, to turn himself in court rather than engaging in procedural issues.
The elder statesman wrote: “Mr Chairman, I am prompted to address this letter to you after seeing you on the television courageously and forthrightly speaking on behalf of your commission (EFCC) on the former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Yahaya Bello’s case, which is already pending in the Federal High Court Abuja, and as usual, some unpatriotic and misguided Nigerians have criticised you, branding your appearance on the television as media propaganda.
“I totally disagree with them, and you are on the right path.
“I sincerely appeal to my handsome and attractive son, Yahaya Bello, to surrender himself to the court with dignity and stop engaging in pursuing procedural issues that some Nigerian lawyers are manipulating in the media.
“The offence allegedly committed by him is bailable.
“The real issue is that Yahaya Bello paid some amount of money to the American School, which was paid with the Kogi State Government’s fund, to the sum of $845,852. It is also true that the American School has refunded $760,910 to the EFCC, which demanded it.
“It must be noted that the issue of bench warrant has always been an instrument used by Nigerian Courts to draw the attention of high-profile Government officials to the fact that no one is above the law. It is not new to the court and Yahaya Bello’s case should not be treated differently.
“At this juncture, Nigerians should ask themselves if corruption is a monster that must be defeated. Otherwise, we are in big trouble.
“As our Former President, Muhammadu Buhari used to say, ‘If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us.’
“Again, I appeal to the Nigerian public to support the new Chairman of EFCC in his crusade against corruption.”
Congratulating Olukayode on his appointment, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) expressed the hope that he will perform his duties “effectively, impeccably, fairly, justly, and without any discrimination, political victimisation or witch-hunting of political opponents and have the courage and ability to confront the so-called sacred cows in our society.”
He added: “The level of corruption in the public service and even in private business has reached such an alarming scale. It has become a recognised part of our daily lives.
“While the Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, and Directors in a Ministry carry out corruption and abuse of office on a large scale at a higher level, the lower ranks in the Ministry, even including the clerks and messengers, are also involved in minor ways of corruption by hiding files and documents and asking for money before releasing them.
“A new trend has now increased the temple of corruption. It is ridiculous to say that some of the officers and assistants have increased the level of corruption in the public service. Some of those in the Presidency, Ministers offices, President of the Senate, and so on demand money, particularly in dollars, before allowing you to see their principals.
“Corruption and abuse of office, which unfortunately have become our way of life, can only be reduced if there is political will on the part of the government to prosecute all those found corrupt as emergency cases and give an accelerated hearing, or if the federal government should create a special court for a period of time to treat high-profile corrupt cases and not allow such corrupt cases to be announced over the media and no further action taken.
“We discovered with dismay that when President Muhamadu Buhari took over office, he could not eradicate corruption but allowed corruption to flourish both in the Presidency, including some members of his family, and the whole setup in the country.”
Clark prayed to God to give the anti-graft boss the “strength, courage, determination, ability, and wisdom to carry out this very important natural assignment to eradicate corruption in our society.”
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