It is completely laughable, that Imo state Governor’s through his media Assistant will respond to this matter in such an unintelligent manner.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
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.
VERA IZUOGU:
In the first instance, it is not an online report, it was first reported in Several National dailies , check Guardian 3rd December 2013, front page, Check Vanguard 3rd December 2013, front page, check Daily Independence , Sun Newspaper etc.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
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.
VERA IZUOGU:
A copy of the clearance letter was officially sent to Imo State House of Assembly by EFCC. Check guardian newspaper 3rd December 2013.
For your information, nobody expects Imo State Government to come out to say they are aware of the EFCC report, because it completely exposed the rot in this present Imo state Government and the level of wickedness going on in the heart of those at the helm of affairs in Imo.
If the state government denies knowledge they are only doing what a thief does when cut pants down. I will not be surprised if the same Government turns around tomorrow to say that its devils work. The Government can deny knowledge of it, the people are completely aware , that’s what matters.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
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 pretense.
VERA IZUOGU:
A statement in the clearance paper reads, “”The total sum of $5,538,830.00USD was found to have been remitted to the personal accounts of Dina in Dubai and Lebanon. There is no single evidence so far that suggested that you benefited from the funds. In his Statement to the commission on 28th March 2013, Dina revealed that he never gave any money to you or any other official of the state government over the contracts, which are yet to be fully executed as at the last visit of our officers in April 2013”.
Imolites are fully aware that, Imo state government took Dina to court to stop EFCC from prosecuting a man that walked away with Imo state Government’s 1.45Billion. If the government was sincere in it’s case against Dina, why didn’t they arrest the second largest shareholder of the company Macdonald Akano, the then SSA on project Monitoring to the Governor, who was sitting and winning with the governor while the matter was hot. Imo people and indeed Nigerians are aware of this.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
Does the EFCC 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.
VERA IZUOGU:
The question here is, Is Jude Agbaso answering any corruption charges in any court of Law? the answer is no. Why didn’t Imo state Government charge him to court for corruption or report him to anti-graft agency, This is the same question, the most respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chief Mike Ahamba asked some days ago. The answer is not far-fetched. The State Government does not have moral boldness to prosecute Sir Jude Agbaso because; they know his hands are clean.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
One can be forced to ask whether the purported EFCC clearance has nullified the impeachment action carried out by the state House of Assembly?
VERA IZUOGU:
The EFCC report may not have nullified the Malicious Impeachment carried out by your rubber stamp House of Assembly, because only the law court can do that;but it has completely exposed the treachery and high wickedness that took place in Imo in the month of March 2013.
It has exposed the house of Assembly and the 7 man impeachment panel to ridicule.
It has nailed the political coffin of the house members that signed the impeachment notice.
It has opened the eyes of imolites and Nigerians to know who the saint and the devil is.
It has completely rubbished the little credibility and trust this government still has. It has exposed the true nature of the man at the helm of affairs in Imo
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
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?
VERA IZUOGU:
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said something some years ago, he said, “it is only in Nigerian that hardened criminal will be caught in the very act of stealing and he will turn and ask, “why are you arresting me, am I the only criminal? ” .
Sir Jude Agbaso was subjected maliciously to deep government funded defamation, it is only natural that when such a man was found to be innocent, that report clearing him be made public. Since his accusers are not interested in prosecuting him in a Court of Law but are rather interested in destroying his name and reputation through media. God does not sleep.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
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!
VERA IZUOGU:
The report may not have ended the impeachment cases in court now , it may soon. However, the EFCC report has ended the doubt in the mind of Nigerians about Sir Jude Agbaso’s innocence. The report has exposed the wickedness and true nature of the “My helper o! “soloist. Court will do it’s work in due time.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
The case 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.
VERA IZUOGU:
Well-meaning Nigerian’s and Imolites cannot ignore truth and hold onto glaring falsehood.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT:
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.
