February 14, 2022

Recent overtures to President Muhammadu Buhari by Rochas Okorocha to prevail on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop harassing him hit a brick wall, Political Economistng can authoritatively report.

Okorocha, a former governor of Imo state, is currently facing multiple corruption allegations both from his state government and from the EFCC.  The Senator representing Imo West has been charged by the EFCC with allegations of conspiracy with others, including an APC politician and five companies, to steal N2.9 billion from public coffers when he was governor.

On account of this, Okorocha had paid a visit to Buhari in Aso Rock to entreat Mr. President to prevail on the EFCC to desist from “harassing’ him. Okorocha also used the occasion to apprise the President of his intendment to contest for 2023 Presidency on the ticket of their party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

But Aso Rock sources told our reporter that Okorocha’s visit in respect of Buhari prevailing on the EFCC was a wild goose chase as Mr. President would never interfere with the anti-corruption duties of the EFCC.

A particular top aide of the President said the idea of asking or begging Buhari to prevail on the EFCC on behalf of anybody smacks of absurdity and lack of knowledge of whom Buhari is.

“Not even those of us close to him can enjoy such ‘privilege’ of being protected from what he called harassment by the EFCC. The Buhari we work with wants everybody to be accountable to the people and be responsible for the outcomes of their action including himself and members of his family.

‘For anybody especially a former governor, serving governor or minister to think he or she would get protection from Buhari is preposterous. Buhari will never do that and I will advise Okorocha to face up to the consequences of his action while in office. If he says he has court order he should approach his lawyers and they should know what to do rather than seek Presidential cover. He won’t get it,” the source said.

Okorocha had accused the EFCC of “unjust harassment”, claiming that he had secured court judgment and two court orders at different forums, which stopped the EFCC from harassing and intimidating him.

Okorocha had told State House correspondents  after meeting with Buhari that he formally apprised the president on his decision to vie for the 2023 presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said: “I also used this opportunity to intimate Mr President of what is going on between me and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the harassment and intimidation that I’m getting from the EFCC, literally on daily basis.

”I informed him that I have court judgment and two court orders from different judgments at different forums, which stopped the EFCC from harassing and intimidating me. EFCC have refused to obey the law.

“And so I have to inform Mr President that EFCC should be made to obey the law that established it. And without the law there wouldn’t be an EFCC. And the desperation with which they go about any affair that concerning me, should stop.

”The court ordered the EFCC to release my international passport, the EFCC have refused to obey.

”The court gave damages to me for some N500million for EFCC to pay. EFCC has not paid that.

“Rather than doing that, on the day of my declaration, EFCC went to the press to announce that I’m being prosecuted for some criminal charges of N2.9billion and no more N5.9billion.

Asked if reporting the EFCC to the President was to stop the corruption allegation against him, he said that he had not requested the president to stop him from being investigated but to get the anti-graft agency to obey the law.

“I didn’t come here to say, I don’t want to be investigated by the EFCC. That’s not the issue, but that there’s judgment on the ground.”