Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has asked Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to sack the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over the freezing of bank accounts of Benue and Akwa Ibom state governments.
The two state governments raised alarm three days ago about the EFCC freezing their bank accounts, and thereby crippling government activities.
The restrictions on the accounts were lifted after many Nigerians condemned the EFCC’s action.
“I am calling for the sack of the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, for overthrowing a tier government. The mere fact that the two accounts have been re-opened does not mean that a crime was not committed,” Governor Wike reportedly told journalists, Thursday, in Port Harcourt, according to a Government House press statement.
“When you freeze the account of the State Government, you have overthrown that government. Without funds, a state cannot function. This means the shutdown of government business at Executive, Legislature and Judiciary in the affected states.”
Mr Wike said if the director general of the State Security Services (SSS) could be sacked because of the recent siege to the National Assembly, then the acting chairman of the EFCC deserved to be sacked and prosecuted for his action against the two states.
Mr Wike said the EFCC, as an agency of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled federal government, went after Benue state government because of the defection the state governor, Samuel Ortom, from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor linked the commission’s action in Akwa Ibom to the defection of the former Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, from the PDP to the APC.
He said the EFCC was ultimately targeting the Rivers state government.
He called on the Nigeria Governors Forum to defend the independence of states.
EFCC’s freezing of two state govt accounts worst coup in nation’s history – Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the freezing of the accounts of Governments of Benue and Akwa Ibom States by the APC Federal Government through the EFCC is the worst coup since the return to democracy.
He stated that there is no worse form of impunity than attempting to cripple a tier of government simply because the APC Federal Government plans to attain unconstitutional political mileage.
Speaking on national issues at the Government House Port Harcourt on Thursday, Wike said that the ultimate target of the APC Federal Government is Rivers State, where they have already detailed the EFCC to carry out very unconstitutional activities.
He said: “There is no worse impunity than for the EFCC to shutdown a tier of government through the freezing of the accounts of two State Governments.
“An agency of federal government has frozen the accounts of Akwa Ibom and Benue State Governments . This is the worst coup against the constitution and the law-abiding people of those states.
“But the target is not Benue or Akwa Ibom States. The real target is Rivers State. The EFCC as a federal agency has no business with State Funds. That is the responsibility of the State House of Assembly “.
He said that Rivers State Government under former Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili obtained and got a court judgment that the EFCC has no constitutional power to investigate state funds, pointing out that the EFCC is yet to vacate that order at a superior court.
Wike noted that the APC Federal Government has continued to use the EFCC for illegal actions in Rivers State, despite the Attorney General of Rivers State writing to the EFCC and attaching the said judgement against the Federal Agency.
Wike said that he is not moved by the sack of Former Director General of DSS, noting that it was a function of internal politics.
“If you are sacking Lawan Daura for coup at the National Assembly, what will you do with a man who overthrew two state governments through two separate coups?” he asked.
Wike added that the APC Federal Government has enthroned a culture of impunity using all security agencies to destroy democracy.
He said: “The sack of the DG of DSS is mere internal politics. If not, even the Inspector General of Police has done worse. The Inspector General of Police invaded the Benue State House of Assembly. He also invaded the Rivers State High Court Complex. No action has been taken against the Inspector General of Police “