Michael Aondoakaa: I won’t join issues with Farida

$38m V-Mobile shares: I won’t join issues with Farida
From GODWIN TSA Abuja
Monday, September 14, 2009
•Aondoakaa
Photo: Sun News Publishing

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) has denied any conflict between his office and that of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as they both have a good working relationship.

Consequently, he said he would not join issues with EFCC Chairman Mrs. Farida Waziri on the controversy as to whether or not the Commission had cleared three ex-governors including Chief Obong Victor Attah, James Ibori and Bola Tinubu of Akwa Ibom, Delta and Lagos states over the professional fees paid by them to African Development Fund Incorporations (ADFI) for sales of their shares worth about $38 million in the V-Mobile, a telecommunication firm.

The chief law officer of the federation was reacting to a statement by the anti-graft agency to the effect that the three ex- governors involved in the deal had not been cleared.
He maintained that with respect to the professional fees, which have become a subject of litigation in a London Court, the three former governors were investigated by the EFCC and cleared.
“If EFCC says that the ex-governors have not been cleared on the issue of the professional fee paid to the ADFI, I won’t join issues with the commission.
“What I believed the EFCC Chairman could have said was that the fact that they have been cleared on this issue of the professional fees paid to the ADFI does not mean that other investigations on other issues are not on-going.

“I think she might have been quoted out of context.
“Until she faces me and says it by herself that the ex-governors have not been cleared on this issue of the legal fees paid by the ex-governors to ADFI Account Number 0140011552, I will know what to say.
“In any event, I can’t see any conflict in what I have said and what EFCC is saying.
“The issue in question is the professional fee and brokerage paid by these ex-governors to ADFI with respect to the sale of the shares owned by their respective states in V-Mobile which a petition investigated by the EFCC described as money-laundering and another allegation that David Edevbire, the Private Principal Secretary to President Umaru Yar’Adua was involved in the signing of the agreement between the ADFI and the ex-governors.
“I have said that David Edevbire was not involved in any way in the deal and that the attempt to bring in his name is only to tarnish the image of the government of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and rubbish his anti-corruption war.

“I am not talking from the air. The facts are there and they are sacred.
“I have said that the Federal Government would refuse prosecution of any Nigerian before a London court on offences which ingredients are domiciled in Nigeria .
“In this case, the Metropolitan Police are before the London Court against ADFI on the grounds that the professional fees paid by the three ex-governors to it are proceeds of crime (money-laundering).
“And the fact of this case is that the issue of the professional fees paid to ADFI has been investigated in Nigeria by EFCC and those involved have been cleared.

“The press statement I issued on the case relates to the issue of the professional fees paid by them to the ADFI which is the subject-matter of criminal litigation before the London court.
“The court case by EFCC started in Nigeria against the ADFI itself has been withdrawn by EFCC upon its discovery that no prima facie case stood against the incorporation.
“I have no problem with EFCC. We have a cordial working relationship,” he concluded.