The attention of the Imo State Government has been drawn to the moves by certain elements in the state who do not appreciate good things to cause trouble following the purported online report claiming that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission [EFCC], has cleared the former Deputy Governor of the state, Sir Jude Agbaso.
It is important to state categorically that the Imo State Government is not aware of the purported clearance of the former deputy Governor by the EFCC.
It is also difficult to believe that EFCC could clear the former Deputy Governor when nothing has been heard about the man at the centre of the matter, Mr J’pros since the agents of the commission abducted him, even when the man has a case in court on several charges including obtaining money by pretence
The EFCC does not have the constitutional or statutory right to clear anybody over a matter that is pending in the court[s] of competent jurisdiction? The answer is no.
One can be forced to ask whether the purported EFCC clearance has nullified the impeachment action carried out by the state House of Assembly?
It is also important to ask whether the Agbaso case is the only matter the EFCC has handled in Imo State. The answer is no. Right from the time of Chief Achike Udenwa to that of Chief Ikedi Ohakim, and indeed to the current government of Chief Rochas Okorocha, the EFCC has been handling matters arising from petitions, and none had been either cleared or prosecuted by EFCC. Why is the Agbaso case different?
The question again is whether the claimed clearance of Sir Jude Agbaso by the EFCC has ended all the cases in court arising from his impeachment and processes to that effect. The answer is also no!
In other words, those behind the gimmick just wanted to use it to cause problem in the state. And we want to inform Imo people and well meaning Nigerians to disregard the report.
It is also important to ask those behind the non-existent report to publish the clearance paper since it could not have been done orally or in the vacuum.
Sam Onwuemeodo
SSA Media to the Governor
4th December, 2013
