Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, to sack the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, for overthrowing the governments of Benue and Akwa Ibom States.
Wike, in an interview with journalists yesterday, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, said the freezing of the accounts of the two states was more grievous than the invasion of the National Assembly by the sacked Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS).
He stated that the unconstitutional freezing of the accounts of the two states was tantamount to the closure of the executive, legislature and judiciary of the two states.
“I am calling for the sack of the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, for overthrowing a tier government. The mere fact that the two accounts have been re-opened does not mean that a crime was not committed.
“When you freeze the account of the State Government, you have overthrown that government. Without funds, a state cannot function. This means the shutdown of government business at executive, legislature and judiciary in the affected states”, Wike said.
The governor said that the impunity of the EFCC could no longer be overlooked because it has the capacity to destroy democracy.
He said the condemnation of the EFCC’s illegality by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum was not enough, noting that the forum must stand up to defend the independence of states, as the second tier of government.
Governor Wike also called for the prosecution of Magu, saying if the Director General of DSS could be sacked for overthrowing just one arm of Federal Government, then Magu should be sacked.
He said: “The chairman of that Agency overthrew the Governments of Benue and Akwa Ibom States. Remember that this country is a federation consisting of federating units. As a federal system, we have three tiers of government. These tiers of government share the funds that accrue to the federation monthly.
“It disheartens some of us to see the inconsistency of this government. This particular agency thrives on impunity. It disobeys court orders at will and on reckless anti-democratic actions. This impunity must stop”, he stressed.
Governor Wike said when the Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, was still in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the State Government accounts were never frozen. He said the action was because he defected.
He also traced the freezing of Akwa Ibom State Government Accounts to defection of the former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The governor said that the ultimate target of the APC-led Federal Government was Rivers, where the APC has been using the EFCC to perpetrate illegality.
Commenting on the defection of the former Senate Minority Leader, Akpabio , he said that it was not an important issue because it has not affected the structure of the PDP.
He said that at the appropriate time he would speak on the defection, which has been brewing for two months. He said that Nigerians would be shocked at what transpired before Akpabio defected, adding that there was no need highlighting an issue of no consequence.