Alleged N50bn Fraud: Arrest, Prosecute Ganduje Now or Resign, Anti-Corruption Groups Tell Olukoyede

A coalition of 30 anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called for the resignation of chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over his alleged failure to prosecute a former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, despite multiple petitions against him over alleged multi-billion naira bribery allegations. 

The CSOs, under the umbrella of ‘Global Initiative for Corruption Eradication’ (GICE), also called for the immediate arrest of Ganduje, who they said had no immunity, but was allegedly enjoying the cover of the Federal Government through the EFCC. 

Spokesperson for GICE, Comrade Anthony Onoja, who addressed a press conference in Abuja on Friday, said, “N50 billion diverted LGA funds, dollar video and N1 billion naira probe seem to have all been swept under the carpet. It’s been over 2,200 days since the dollar video scandal broke and yet EFCC is silent.”

The activists urged well-meaning Nigerians and relevant international organisations to join in stopping the EFCC from further insulting the sensibilities of Nigerians by calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Ganduje. 

“The chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission must resign from his position if he fails to arrest and prosecute former Governor Ganduje in line with our extant laws.

“The continued silence of the EFCC, despite the monumental corruption allegations against Ganduje, despite the many petitions, the avalanche of evidence(s) available and protest from various groups and the Kano State Government to probe and bring Ganduje to book is no longer golden. It also negates its constant rebuttal of keeping sacred cows. 

“The general perception of Nigerians now is that the EFCC, as it is, has abandoned its original mandate by becoming a political tool in the hands of the government of the day for eliminating political rivals and perceived enemies,” Onoja said.

He added that the EFCC was now seen by Nigerians as a major conduit of misappropriation of public funds and a tool for political persecution. 

“While these perceptions have become increasingly prevalent, the agency has further justified and vindicated the majority of Nigerians that hold this view with its recent selective prosecution of alleged corrupt public officers and allowing very corrupt ones to walk free after suppressing the wheel of justice from taking its full effect against them.

“An example of these sacred cows that have continued to walk free despite the monumental corruption allegations against him is the former governor of Kano and current national chairman of the ruling party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje,” the activists said.

They stated: “It would be recalled that the Kano High Court was to arraign the former Kano governor, Umaru Ganduje, and his wife on April 17, 2024, over allegations of bribery and misappropriation of funds by the state government. Neither he nor his wife went to court. They also disrespected the court so much that they didn’t send a legal representation.

“The case was adjourned to 29th April but was stalled again. No representation, no appearance. Ganduje was not present. The case was again adjourned to May 16, and on that day, arraignment was rescheduled to June 5. Still, the former governor, who no longer has immunity under our extant laws and is not above the laws of Nigeria by virtue of being the chairman of the ruling party, did not show up. No representation still.

“The last arraignment was supposed to be on July 11. At the resumed proceedings on July 11, Ganduje and his co-defendants were again absent. The judge declined a prayer by the prosecution counsel for a warrant of arrest but ruled that the defendants could be tried in absentia.”

According to them, while the creation of the EFCC by the Obasanjo administration was greeted with commendations, EFCC has derailed.

“Finally, our group is of the considered view that perhaps if the EFCC in its current form is disbanded because of its constitutional illegality as pointed out by the states in the current case against the EFCC at the apex court, it would be able to perform its real functions of stamping out corruption when its law is properly enacted,” the CSOs added.