Assets declaration: Why some ex-govs can’t face trial –CCB

Sun News

28 September 2011

Assets declaration: Why some ex-govs can’t face trial –CCB

Strong indications emerged Tuesday that the Code of Conduct Bureau [CCB] may have jettisoned the trial of some of the 15 former governors listed for trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false declaration of assets.

The Bureau had earlier announced that 15 ex-governors found wanting by the task force on assets verification exercise would be prosecuted by the tribunal.

Those on the list were James Ibori of Delta, Lucky Igbinedion of Edo, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, Boni Haruna, Adamawa, Gbenga Justus Daniel of Ogun, Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi, Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki of Jigawa, Ahmad Makarfi of Kaduna, Goodluck Jonathan of Bayelsa, Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu, Achike Udenwa of Imo, Sam Egwu of Ebonyi and Bola Tinubu of Lagos.

But speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Chairman of the Bureau, Mr. Sam Saba disclosed that some of the affected former chief executives had made some refunds to the Federal Government.

The report of the task force on asset verification set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo had listed property both in Nigeria and around the world, including cars, and bank accounts found to be owned by the ex-governors but not declared officially as required by law.

The task force comprised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security Services (SSS) and was headed by the then chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.