Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Farida Waziri, on Friday denied the controversial EFCC advisory list, which listed some politicians who should not be fielded by political parties in the 2011 elections, saying it did not emanate from the Commission. 

She made the clarification in Abuja when she received the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led by its President Joseph Daudu SAN, even as she declared that threats to her life and that of her officers will not deter the commission in its determination to stamp out corruption in the country.  

“I have taken a lot of bashing for something I never knew about; I have never dabbled into constitutional matters, we never and have never submitted any advisory list to any political party. The advisory list was posted on the EFCC’s website. I never complied any list neither did I send any to any political party,” she said. 

She maintained that the first time she heard about the list was on television.

“I have been vilified for something I do not know anything about. I woke up one morning to see people discussing on TV a list said to be written by EFCC. I am a lawyer of many years standing and I obey the rule of law. What is causing some people sleepless night is simply a table of our prosecution activities, which has been in the public domain for over two years,” the anti-graft agency boss explained. 

She stressed that there was no way someone not convicted could be stopped from contesting election, but maintained that there was nothing wrong if a list showcases some people and their past. 

“I know that it is only when one is convicted that he would be stopped from running for any political office what we are saying is on the moral ground and I don’t see anything wrong with the advisory list on moral grounds,” she said. 

Waziri expressed worry that Nigeria’s rating has dropped in spite of the hard work been done by the commission and solicited the support of the NBA in the fight against corruption. She also lamented the delay in court judgments. 

 “It is my view that we should all come to a point where the judiciary should declare speedy trial of all corruption cases if the accused persons are not ready to prove their innocence. This is where I believe your intervention will forever be appreciated by posterity. In other climes, it is the accused persons that approach the court to seek speedy trial of their cases because they want to prove their innocence but the reverse is the case here. 

“As a lawyer, I don’t believe in any other means to fight the course of justice other than the law. That is why I have remained strictly committed to the rule of law in my over two years in office. But we all have a major responsibility to ensure and prove to the ordinary man on the street that the law works, otherwise it will be extremely dangerous for the society if the masses should lose faith and confidence in the law. The challenge is ours and I urge you all to partner with us to forestall this danger,” she stated. 

She, however, reiterated her determination to fight corruption no matter the threats to life, stressing that she would never be intimidated. 

“There have been assassination threats of bombing among others but I know that evil can never triumph over good. We cannot be intimidated or blackmailed to abandon the fight. They have tried everything to get rid of me but I want them to have it at the back of their minds that I have God and I am doing the right thing and will never be deterred,” she declared. 

Waziri expressed delight at the successes recorded so far by the Commission, especially with the conviction of Cecilia Ibru the former managing director of Oceanic Bank.

“I inherited about 10 high profile cases in court from my predecessor today I have instituted over 55 cases in just about two years. Most of them stalled at the plea stage due to the numerous antics of the accused persons to frustrate and delay their trial.  

“It is my view that we should all come to a point where the judiciary should declare speedy trial of all corruption cases if the accused persons are not ready to prove their innocence. This is where I believe that the intervention of the NBA will forever be appreciated by posterity,” she said.  

Speaking earlier the NBA President called for an urgent amendment to the laws setting up the EFCC, saying that “the challenges in trying to recover stolen funds are enormous and government should give the commission the wherewithal to fight the war against graft. This fight against this monster is a continuous one and not a stop gap one when stopped Nigeria will lapse into a failed state.  

“The powers given to the Commission to investigate is inadequate, the EFCC should also be armed with police powers. I have always advocated for multi police force in this country where you have the EFCC police the Customs police the ICPC police we intend to propose to the new National Assembly come next year for the creation of multiple police force in the country,” he added.  

On the advisory list Duadu said that “the Constitution made the presumption of innocence of any accused person when you say that X is not qualified for an election it is a constitutional matter which is only for the judiciary the principles of separation of powers gave the powers to the judiciary. I do not expect the EFCC to engage in things that would distract from its mandate.  

“The position of the NBA is that although you mean well that you go easy to avoid the politicisation of the issue and distract the commission. You must have structures in place so that more resources are allocated to investigation. In the past it was not so but you have done well by bringing in competent criminal lawyers to handle your prosecution and the results are beginning to manifest,” he added.  

The NBA President said that the association is willing to partner with the commission in the areas of offering the necessary legal advice and assistance, explaining that “it behooves on the courts to give a timeline within which to handle corruption cases and there is the need to train some judges on the handling of criminal cases to speed up the process”.