State Governors Move Against EFCC’s Investigation Of Their Security Vote

Lawyers have been hired by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to challenge the power of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe security vote of states.

Abubakar Badaru, governor of Jigawa state, made this known at the end of the monthly national economic council (NEC) meeting presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa, Abuja, yesterday.

He said the governors discussed the issue in the meeting they held on Wednesday night, while stating that lawyers had been asked to investigate the case.

Earlier, Abdulaziz Yari, chairman of the NGF and Zamfara state governor, had condemned the way the anti-graft agencies have been handling the fight against corruption.

While speaking on the freezing of Akwa Ibom and Benue states government accounts by EFCC, Yari told reporters that even President Muhammadu Buhariwill not support the action.

“We believe strongly that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will not sit down and supervise this illegality in the system.

“What we are saying is that we all support the government to fight corruption because it is endemic and has suffered the nation for over six decades. Definitely, it was part of what we discussed.

“What we are saying now is that we are going to support the government in terms of what it is doing to fight corruption, but the due process must be respected in whatever action the agencies are going to take in the name of fighting corruption.”