From all indications, many former governors who have in one way or the other looted the resources of their states will soon face criminal prosecution.
The assembly of more than 31 senior lawyers by the Federal Government as prosecution team is one of the indicators.
The lawyers are to review all the corruption cases already investigated by anti-graft agencies over the years.
According to observation many of the suspected former governors left office as early as 2003, while the rest ended their tenure and lost immunity from prosecution between 2007 and 2015 but were never questioned by any of the agencies.
Also Most of them were reportedly investigated by the Justice Mustapha Akanbi-led Independent Corrupt Practices and other offices Commission, ICPC, while others were probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Moreover, the anti-corruption agenda of the Buhari administration has been perceived to be upset that the suspects have not been brought to justice, thereby creating the impression that looters can go scot free.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, confirmed at the weekend, that all the corruption cases against former governors were being reviewed.
According to Malami, the review by the senior lawyers is not only to nail the culprits, but also to clear the names of the innocent.
It was gathered that the Federal Government has initiated moves to revoke the perpetual injunction secured by former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili, to pave the way for his trial over alleged mismanagement of N100 billion by his administration.
The government is said to be making the point that the judge who granted the injunction worked against the overall interest of justice as the constitution of Nigeria didn’t give the judge the power to permanently protect a suspect from being investigated and tried for financial crimes.
The federal judge, who gave the injunction, is said to be under pressure to explain to legal authorities why he granted such an order and whether in his opinion, the cause of justice had been effectively served by his questionable decision. The EFCC is said to be working relentlessly to set aside the injunction, which had shaken the judicial circles since it was given by the judge in 2007.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is said to have written to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission directing the reopening of the cases. A top source in ICPC confirmed that many of the former governors were investigated and charged to court but that the cases had not made progress, thus giving the impression that nothing was done about them. Among the former governors whose cases are being reopened are President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (Kwara); factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno); the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); and Dr. Peter Odili (Rivers).
The case files, according to sources in the Ministry of Justice, have already been recalled for necessary actions. Others, whose cases are being reviewed, include Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Ahmed Yerima (Zamfara), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).
The rest are: Ikedi Ohakim (Imo), Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom), Achike Udenwa (Imo), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), George Akume (Benue), Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo), Usman Dakingari (Kebbi), Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi), and Lucky Igbinedion (Edo).
“It is clear that some of these governors and other politically-exposed persons have not been charged to court, despite the fact that the ICPC has concluded their investigations concerning allegations levelled against them, for one reason or the other,” Malami said.
The Minister for Justice said all the moves are themed to reflect the anti-corruption philosophy of the current administration.
