1. Today, as always, I thank Almighty Allah as I welcome the
judgement of the Federal High Court, Lagos, by the Honorable Justice Rilwan M.
Aikawa in which the court dismissed in its totality the application by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a forfeiture order on my
home in Ilorin, Kwara State. I am particularly happy that the court
specifically ruled that there was no evidence that the property was built with
any illicit or stolen funds from the Kwara State Government or any other institution
or quarter, whatsoever.
2. The last five years have been very challenging for me and
my family. I have endured and defeated one false allegation and malicious
litigation after another, in an ill-motivated persecution, intimidation and
harassment, through which some vested interests sought to damage my name and
label me with charges of corruption but with the grace of Allah, I have always
been victorious. I thank God for the outcome of this case which is the fifth
victory in cases in which the EFCC was either the main investigating agency or
the plaintiff.
3. It is obvious that the EFCC leadership under its
erstwhile acting chair, Mr. Ibrahim Mustapha Magu decided to take the issue of
his non-confirmation by the 8th Senate which I led, personally. However, I know
that the Senate under my leadership only followed the due and normal procedure
during the confirmation process and we never executed any personal agenda
against Magu. The records of the Senate during the period is there for the
perusal of all Nigerians interested in the truth.
4. I hope that with the outcome of today’s case, the EFCC
learns that a serious issue like the fight against corruption should not be
reduced to a forum-shopping means to execute a personal vendetta or prosecute a
parochial agenda. Fighting corruption and combating economic crime requires
stakeholders to eschew coercion while employing upright diligence, due process,
fairness, equity and broad mindedness in dealing with all cases and persons.
5. The deployment of a state institution to fight a personal
and partisan battle, particularly with the use of the mass and social media as
championed by the EFCC was aimed at inflicting damage to my name, reputation
and elective public service record through a targeted misinformation and
disinformation campaign of calumny, also directed at intimidating the
judiciary. It was directed at giving the wrong impression about me. As I record
yet another vindication by the competent court of law, God’s willing, my focus
will now shift to more serious issues.
6. It is the grace of Allah and the support of my family
that saw me through these past trying years. My family members have withstood
with courage, candor, resilience and grace the war of attrition which was also
directed at them. I thank all of them. Let me also express appreciation to my
supporters across the country, particularly those in Kwara State, my colleagues
in the 8th Senate, my friends, associates and lawyers for standing by me all
through the period of the travails.
7. It is important to put it on record that I hold no grudge
against any individual for their roles in my trials. My experience in the last
five years has only strengthened my faith in Almighty Allah, the Nigerian
nation and her judiciary which has always risen above the din to give justice at
all times and in all situation. Definitely, I remain unflinching in my belief
that we need to build a functional society which creates the right atmosphere
for all to aspire to be whatever positive they desire.
8. At this point, let me strongly express my support for the
anti-corruption war and the institutions created to prosecute this war. My
antecedents show that I have always sponsored and backed initiatives in this
direction. I was part of the team that initiated the enactment of the Fiscal
Responsibility Act and Public Procurement Act under the Obasanjo
administration. As Governor of Kwara State, my government was the first state
to introduce the Price Intelligence Unit and was also the first state to submit
our financial process for rating by Fitch, the global rating agency. As a
member of the 7th Senate, I sponsored the motion which exposed the monumental
fraud in fuel subsidy payments while the 8th Senate under my leadership passed
five different bills aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption,
particularly the law that created the National Financial Intelligence Agency
(NFIA).
9. With today’s decision of the Court, it is my expectation
that the EFCC, which has played significant roles in the various court cases
against me from the CCT to Supreme Court and back at the Federal High Court
with the consequent media trial and malicious campaigns, will now leave me
alone to live my life, and enjoy my unfettered rights to freedom of thought,
expression, association, occupation and dignity, as a private citizen and focus
on serious issues of national development.
10. Thank you, all.
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