The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, on Friday said she neither compiled nor sent any advisory list to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties to stop 55 aspirants from contesting elections in 2011. She said as a lawyer, she does not dabble into constitutional matters.

Waziri, who broke her silence while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by its President, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN), said it was regretful that she had been receiving bashing from commentators for something she did not do.

She described the so-called advisory list as a consequence of political mischief by those parading it.

She said: "I have been vilified for something I know nothing about. I woke up one morning to see people discussing on TV a list said to be written by the EFCC. I called the Operations Department to find out if they submitted any list to the PDP or other political parties but they said no.

"I am a lawyer. I have a master’s degree in Law. I obey the rule of law and I try very hard to work within the rules. I have taken a lot of bashing for what I never did. What is causing some people sleepless nights is simply a table of our prosecution activities which has been in the public domain for over two years.

"I never compiled any advisory list; I know my limits. I know the law; that it is only when you are convicted that the law can take its course against you. I am innocent. But I am not even quarrelling with anybody or group. I did not dabble into constitutional maatters.

"So, I didn’t compile a list, and PDP and other parties did not request for any list. I expected that any of you (journalists) will phone and ask me questions on the Advisory List."

The EFCC chairman also asked the NBA to assist in prevailing on the judiciary to speed up the trial of suspects of financial crimes.

She added: "Here in Nigeria, it is so fashionable to stall cases. We know that some of them are very, very rich. They employ all means to frustrate their trial. Witness fatigue sets in and these witnesses get tired or die in the process of adjournment of cases or delay in trial.

"People do all sorts of things to stall trial, and some of the cases have not even started five years after arraignment. And yet in some other jurisdictions, people plead that they be taken to court to clear their names over allegations of corruption.

"I appeal to members of the most noble profession in the world, the NBA, to come to our rescue in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

"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 cause 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.

"It is when we diligently prosecute these cases and get convictions that we can fight corruption. Convictions serve as deterrents."

On Transparency International’s latest rating of Nigeria , she added: "I felt saddened when I saw that TI rating of Nigeria has dropped in spite of what we had done."

On threats to her life, she said: "I remain undaunted in spite of blackmail and death threats. They have threatened to bomb me to death with my key officials. We held our meeting and we said it is only God who gives and takes life."

On his part, the NBA president, Daudu said the organisation is opposed to Advisory List or any means to stop some Nigerians from contesting the 2011 polls.

He said: "In the past two months, there has been a discourse that the EFCC is preparing a list of people who should not contest in 2011.

"We have had a very anxious thought about it. Based on the principle of separation of powers, it appears to be ultra vires for the EFCC to embark on such an exercise.

"We do not want the EFCC to be distracted or dragged into the issue of constitutional matters.

Daudu blamed the bench for the delay being experienced in the trial of corruption cases.

He said: "I will put the delay in cases on the doorstep of courts and not on lawyers or EFCC.

"It is right of the accused persons to use any legal means to seek redress but it behooves the court to have timelines for these cases.

"Until we get the court structure right and mechanism of case management right, we will continue to trade blames."

He said there was no reason why some appeals cannot be heard within seven days as in other climes where cases are dispensed within a stipulated time.

"Our judges need to operate with the degree of speed that these matters deserve but I see the problem as that of some of them being ill- equipped and again on the entire structure of the judiciary."

Daudu said the NBA is in full support of plea bargaining.

He said: "Plea bargaining should be made a constitutional right and not a privilege as presently the case."

He advocated for an amendment of the EFCC Act which, he said, needed to have some provisions for plea bargain.

He praised Waziri for her zeal and commitments, saying that she should not be deterred as Nigerians are praying for her.

The NBA boss was accompanied on the visit by Olumiwa Akinboro(General Secretary), Emeka Obegolu(Publicity Secretary) and Osita Okoro ,Director, of administration of the NBA.