A prosecutor with the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, Mr Oluwatosin Ojaomo, on Saturday, described the suspended Chairman of the panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, as the last man standing in President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption stance.
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Obono-Obla was suspended on August 14 over allegations of “records falsification” and “extortion.”
Ojaomo, in a message sent to our correspondent, said Obono-Obla was being persecuted for his courage in the anti-corruption war.
According to him, the suspended SPIP chairman is “now a target of corrupt people who do not want President Buhari’s anti-corruption war to succeed.”
He also described as false, the allegation that Obono-Obla forged a West Africa Examination Council’s certificate to study Law in the University of Jos.
He said, “I am compelled to react to the malicious statement being peddled by some forces who are determined to put an end to the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration.
“It is on record that I fought on behalf of the current Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by instituting a legal action at the Federal High Court when corrupt elements who are close to the corridors of power in Nigeria decided to witch-hunt him. Today he remains at the helm of affairs at the EFCC.
“It is on record that Chief Obono-Obla who is currently being persecuted and victimised is the last man standing with President Buhari in courage in fighting across party lines as far as the anti-corruption war is concerned in Nigeria today.
“A man who has practised law in Nigeria for over 25 years before his appointment as the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel constituted by President Buhari to recover stolen public properties has suddenly turned to the man being accused of forging WAEC certificate.
“The false allegation circulating all over that his WAEC result is falsified is a blatant lie from those who want to bring him down by all means.
“If it is true that he forged his SSCE result why has the University of Jos not inquired into the allegation?
“It is not even possible to graduate in the prestigious University of Jos without meeting the admission requirement vis-a-vis graduating.
“Why will the university which issued him an LLB relying on the SSCE certificate not contacted to clarify this matter?
“It is obvious that corruption is fighting back and Chief Obono-Obla is now a target of corrupt people who do not want President Buhari’s anti-corruption war to succeed.”
He described as “speculations without any iota of proof” all the allegations leveled against Obono-Obla.
He suggested that the head of the SPIP legal unit, Celsus Ukpong had been become a target of similar attack by being dismissed over “trumped-up” allegations.
He added, “Is it a coincidence that the head of the legal unit at the SPIP, Celsus Ukpong, who was on secondment from ICPC to the SPIP, was suddenly dismissed yesterday when he was still working under another Federal government agency by trumped-up allegations?”
Ojaomo said the SPIP under Obono-Obla’s leadership “has fought corruption and corrupt practices without minding the political divide you belong to.”
He added, “The recent onslaughts on the SPIP is a ploy to tame the panel.
“It is shocking to hear that one of the allegations of abuse of office against Chief Obono-Obla is that he is not taking directive from the presidency before he investigate corruption allegation. Wild indeed!
“We are at the crossroads in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
“If Chief Obono-Obla is successfully removed then it is obvious that corruption has won at the end and has also fought President Buhari’s regime to a standstill; God forbid.”
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