A group, Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBOLAC), has faulted the failed arrangement of Bauchi Governor-elect Bala Mohammed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Monday before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja over alleged failure to declare his assets.
The group described the EFCC’s action as a threat to democracy, alleging foul play over the timing of the arraignment, which is a month before the governor-elect’s inauguration on May 29.
Addressing a news conference yesterday, the chief convener of the group, Shippi Rabo, said: “Couldn’t the arraignment be arranged and prepared in a more responsible way and at such a practically better time than a day when the governor-elect was already scheduled to attend to crucial matters like the Nigeria Governors Forum’s organised induction for incoming governors, which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a meeting with the Central Inauguration Committee handling plans for his inauguration as Executive Governor of Bauchi come May 29, 2019.
“The EFCC had over 10 months to file charges against the governor-elect after Justice Talba withdrew from the case following his elevation to the Appeal Court, but they didn’t.
“Why did it take EFCC nearly a whole year to have the case reassigned to a new court or judge?
“To what extent has the EFCC made progress in prosecuting the case considering that the first arraignment took place almost two years ago?”
Shipi, who presented the position of the group, added that the latest action of the commission constituted an affront, assault and also represent a grave threat to the survival of democracy.
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to rise in unison against the EFCC’s act.