As Anambra, EFCC Bicker over Watch List

While Anambra State government is not taking lightly the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has placed Governor Willie Obiano on its watch list, David-Chyddy Eleke writes that observers are strongly looking forward to what will happen after March 16, 2022 when he is no longer covered by immunity

Ahead of the March 16, 2022 change of government in Anambra State, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed the outgoing governor of the state, Willie Obiano on watch list.

In a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) dated November 15, 2021, the commission requested the service to place the governor who as the time of filing this story was out of the country, on watch list and inform it anytime he is travelling out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit.

While the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, did not give reason on how the commission arrived at its decision, sources close to it said the move was an indication that it may have been discreetly investigating the governor who though currently enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution, is planning to travel after handing over power to his successor, Prof. Charles Soludo.

However, it later became clear that the governor was placed on EFCC’s watch list based on petitions by some indigenes of the state, who accused him of mismanaging over N17 billion Paris Club refund and security vote.

The federal government had shared N388.3 billion among the 36 states and the Federal Capital as part of the reimbursement for the over-deduction on the Paris Club loan in December 2016.

Seven states reportedly got above N14 billion, four states got over N13 billion, two states received above N11billion and five other states were given amounts above N10 billion while the remaining 11 states got less than N10 billion each. Anambra State was said to have received N11.3 billion.

The state governments had submitted their claims of over-deductions for external debt service arising between 1995 and 2002 to the federal government due to the First Line Charge deductions from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.

The debt service deductions concern the Paris Club, London Club and multilateral debts of the federal government and the states.

Many of the states reportedly shared their portions with their local governments mostly to settle the backlog of salaries and some of the state debts.

The federal government subsequently released the second tranche of the Paris Club refund totalling N243.7billion which was shared to the states and the Federal Capital Territory following the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari on May 4, 2017. Anambra State reportedly got over N6billion from the fund

Many unnamed citizens of Anambra State were also said to have petitioned the EFCC, accusing the governor of allegedly frittering away the huge sums of money left behind by his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi.

Obi reportedly left billions of naira in the state’s coffers for his predecessor while handing over in 2014.

It was learnt that the EFCC had earlier invited some commissioners and principal officers over the alleged mismanagement of the state funds.

But the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C-Don Adinuba, has insisted that the move against his boss was politically-motivated by the All Progressives Congress (APC). He added that the action of the anti-graft agency was inelegant.

“Nigerians were dismayed that the EFCC went a new low on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, when it sponsored media reports claiming that it has placed Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on its watch list.

“The EFCC provided no details of how Governor Obiano has been placed on its watch list, but made a reference to a letter it purportedly wrote on November 15, 2021, to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) asking it to inform the anti-graft agency anytime the governor is travelling out of the country.

“Everything that can be wrong with politically-motivated statements like this one is obviously wrong with this statement. The EFCC knows full well that it is acting inelegantly in this instance, and so has tried as much as possible not to make an official public statement on the alleged placing of Chief Obiano on the watch list. It furtively gave a section of the media the news report it wrote based on ostensibly its letter to the NIS on November 15.

“Governor Obiano is out of the country currently and he travelled through one of the country’s international airports. He did not disguise himself, but rather left the country with his identity fully disclosed at the necessary immigration point.

“The EFCC sounded more inelegant when it claimed in the sponsored press report that it received intelligence reports that the governor plans to “flee” from Nigeria once he hands over power next March 17 to the newly elected Anambra State governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

“Governor Obiano has a whole four months to remain in office as the Anambra State chief executive. Nobody in Nigeria can circumscribe his constitutionally conferred immunity which shields him from both criminal and civil prosecution.

“The EFCC went too far to announce in November that it is observing him. We are not aware of any state governor who had up to four months to be in office and the EFCC went on to sponsor media reports that he was being investigated.

“It is, indeed strange that the EFCC is making a show that it is investigating a high public officer. Anti-corruption agencies, like intelligence services, conduct their investigations discreetly, and not on pages of newspapers. Media trial has never benefited the EFCC.

“The whole nation knows those behind all the present histrionics about Obiano. They are those who didn’t want the November 6 election to hold. They are those in high places who unsuccessfully canvassed for emergency rule in Anambra supposedly on security grounds. They are those who masterminded the Birnin Kudu High Court charade in Jigawa State over the APGA leadership and, more importantly, the authentic APGA candidate in the November gubernatorial election in Anambra State. They are those responsible for the sacrilege of a customary court in Abuja issuing criminal summons to Professor Soludo, a former Central Bank of Nigeria governor. These people are still fighting the gubernatorial battle on behalf of their badly defeated friends and political associates in the Anambra vote. They will fail badly, as they have done in the recent past.

“The EFCC should not allow itself to be used by politicians who are mere birds of passage. Its ongoing Anambra drama is in bad taste. It did not serve Governor Obiano any notice. Nor did it invite him to answer questions about his service record. It just went to the press. Yet, the governor is willing to answer any questions about his years in office. After all, he has received a prestigious award from the United Nations Development Programme for social service integrity.”

On his part, a public affairs analyst, Carl Umegboro, who described EFCC’s action as politically-motivated, said it could drag Buhari’s name through the mud big time.

Umegboro argued that if Obiano who is presently covered by immunity from criminal prosecutions as a state governor has queries, making it public doesn’t show professionalism knowing that the broadcast gives the respondent an opportunity to be on the run.

“EFCC’s action was discernibly politically-motivated for vendetta with blackmails to appease some paymasters. But Buhari must not allow such nuisances to continue unabated considering that he takes all responsibility. Ridiculously, a performing governor with enviable capital projects to showcase embezzled security votes and public funds but those with nothing to show are saints.

“The dangerous implication is that the anti-graft agency has been hijacked and positioned for political abracadabra by desperate politicians. Emphatically, the president should consider reconstitution of EFCC. This ‘watchlists formula’ which was first introduced by Nuhu Ribadu during his tenure as EFCC helmsmen in Obasanjo’s administration for political persecution cannot flourish in this era. If the agency has substantial proof against any public office holder on corruption, the appropriate thing is to proceed accordingly. But to resort to media trials and blackmails, it is unacceptable.

“From observations, the ‘watch list’ only surfaces during election periods. So, Mr. President is under obligation to look into activities of the anti-graft agency which if not done expediently may affect credibility of 2023 general election and tarnish his hard earned reputation. The president’s policy of non-interference in duties of MDAs is constructive, however, he must ensure that all government agencies working for him discharge their duties ethically, diligently and responsibly.”

As March 16, 2022 handover date approaches, many Nigerians are eagerly awaiting EFCC’s next move and Obiano’s counter-action.