#TrackNigeria – The
Federal Government has been given a 14-day ultimatum to either prosecute former
Governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje or face court
action and public protest by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA
Resource Centre).
A Federal High Court sitting in Jos has thrown out the corruption case where
Danjuma Goje, now a Senator, is accused of fraud in a N25billion sleaze funds.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation last Thursday has applied
asking the court to halt the trial.
The former Governor of Gombe State, Goje was facing corruption charges
initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) before the
trial was later withdrawn by Nigerian authorities amidst speculations involving
a political deal.
In a statement signed by the organisation’s Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju,
the group said the action of the FG confirms suspicion that Goje trial has been
waved aside because of his decision to drop his ambition to run for the office
of the Senate President in order to pave way for President Muhammadu
Buhar’s preferred candidate, Senator
Ahmed Lawan.
The group had last 2 weeks warned the office of the Attorney General of the
Federation over its decision to take over the trial of Senator Danjuma Goje’s
trial for corruption as being likely to pervert the cause of justice, the Human
and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA) said.
The group in a statement on Wednesday June 12 said “many Nigerians have
the reason to suspect that transparency is being sacrificed on the altar of
politics and horse-trading in the interest of the election of principal
officers of the National Assembly.”
Former Governor of Gombe State who was
accused of misuse of N25b had faced investigation by the EFCC for years.
However, a new twist was introduced when the Attorney General of the
Federation, AGF, Abubakar Mallami was reported to have taken over the case from
the EFCC.
When the case came up for emergency hearing before Justice Babatunde Quadri of
the Federal High Court II in Jos, the EFCC’s counsel, Mr Wahab Shittu had said
it was withdrawing from the case and handing it over to the office of the AGF,
in response to the appearance of a counsel representing the AGF office.
According to HEDA, “There is grave concern the take over of the trial of
Goje who has been accused of fraud involving huge sums of public funds will
undermine justice. The decision of the AGF to take over the case from the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) is raising a lot of
concern. There is no justification for this decision. The EFCC is doing a great
job through diligent prosecution. The sudden decision of the AGF to take over
the case is suspicious. It sends wrong signals to local and international
communities that vested political interests are bent on sabotaging the efforts
of the EFCC and the entire gamut of anti-corruption campaign” the
statement signed by HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju had noted.
HEDA said this withdrawal has no justification except to confirm the rife
speculations that the case was compromised to meet “political
considerations” as in previous cases taken over by the AGF office.
The leading anti-corruption group said the AGF had set “bitter
precedents” that the fight against corruption is selective depending on
the political camp the suspected culprits belong.”The withdrawal is in bad
taste and this group will deploy all the constitutional legal means to defend
public interest in this particular case”.
“The international community would be notified of this subversion of rule of
law and justice by the present regime. Bilateral laws and agreement between
Nigeria and other foreign nations will be explored to exposed both the
government and the suspect. Constitutional provision on Nolle Prosqui is not
pervert justice but protect public interest”, said the organisation’s Chairman.
