...Denies Investigating Katsina Gov
Insists Igbinedion involved in land scam
From Josephine Lohor in Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday stated that it was not investigating the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, who gave the clearance apparently in reaction to a newspaper (not THISDAY) report that the governor was under the searchlight of the EFCC, said that there was not even a single complaint against Yar'Adua.
Ribadu told newsmen that "indeed, I will not be able to say clearly who and who we are investigating. But I can assure you that we are not investigating the Governor of Katsina State. There are no complaints against him, not even a single complaint. I can assure you of that. I, and indeed EFCC, is not investigating the Governor of Katsina State."
The EFCC chairman, however, maintained that the Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, indeed had a case to answer over a land scam in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which was contained in a report submitted to President Olusegun Obasanjo in December 2003.
He noted that "what is clear is that the newspaper (not THISDAY) got a copy of our report. And if you are quoting from that report, I standby what our report says. These are all people being investigated.
"It is nothing you can open up and begin to give details here. There are so many things that have happened since then. And actions had been taken and some of the wrong doings have been corrected. I stand by our report," Ribadu said.
It would be recalled that Governor Igbinedion had refuted the story linking him to shady land deals in the FCT, stating that the plots under probe belonged to his father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.
Ribadu however, said "I do not think it is right for me to come out to say the work we are doing. We are investigating and if there is any wrong doing anywhere in Nigeria, we investigate. I don't think it will be very right for me to come out with any specifics." He also confirmed that some state governors were indeed being investigated on the alleged diversion of local government funds.
Ribadu who stated that the commission had indeed visited some states to investigate the alleged diversion of the funds, noted that "we started with Abia State government and they took us to court to stop us from the work. Now the case has been transferred to Abuja as a constitutional issue."
"When we went to Abia for our investigation, the government there took us to the Federal High Court, Umuahia. Of course, we were able to argue our case very well. But the court decided to disengage from the suit and referred it to Abuja. I went to other states before Abia," he added.
The EFCC chairman, speaking on a querry he received from the President recently declared that there was nothing wrong with it because "the President is my boss. He queried me and when you get a querry from your boss, do you have to treat it with indifference? He is my boss. He queried me, and I replied."
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