By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
A legal practitioner based in Abuja, Barrister Leo Ekpenyong, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had compromised its integrity in the invitation of former Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio, and was, therefore, incapable of prosecuting the war against corruption in the country.
Ekpenyong wrote the petition that led to the invitation of former Akwa Ibom stage governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio by the EFCC.
The petitioner accused the EFCC of attempt to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that the anti-graft agency is working effectively to justify its mandate, adding that the ongoing Akpabio invitation by the agency is only “a smokescreen.”
The petition entitled: “The hypocrisy of the EFCC” issued yesterday in Abuja, read in part: “The recent dramatic display of compromise by the economic and financial crimes commission’s invitation to the former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for an alleged N108 billion theft, leaves so much to be desired.
“We have on good authority and record where the Senate minority leader, Senator Akpabio told a cross- section of his supports after his visit to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja on the 16th of October, 2015 that the invitation extended to him by the anti-graft agency was a mere cosmetic display of seeming proactiveness only geared toward giving the impression that it is poised to fight corruption in the country.
“Akpabio further assured his supporters that the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission is on his payroll, the more reason he was accorded preferential treatment. Little wonder, it has taken the EFCC donkey years to prosecute Akpabio and bring him to justice.
“To be specific Sir, till this moment, Akpabio has not denied the veracity of the Zenith Bank account details from where over N40 billion was withdrawn within 2014.”
