EFCC: Ohanaeze youths laud Reps stand on Patience Jonathan

The Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, yesterday hailed the House of Representatives over its stand on the petition written to it by former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

Mrs. Jonathan had in a petition to the Reps, accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of persecuting her.

DAILY POST recalls that the EFCC had as part of its on-going probe of the former first lady ordered banks to unfreeze several of her accounts.

Following this development, Mrs. Jonathan through her lawyer, sought the intervention of the lawmakers.

After considering Jonathan’s petition, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions said the freezing was carried out without no specific restriction orders from any competent court of law.

While appearing before the committee, representative of Granville Abibo (SAN) & Co law firm, Mr Ayodeji Adedipe, told the committee that the banks, including Ecobank, Union Bank, First Bank, Diamond and Fidelity Bank froze accounts belonging to Mrs Jonathan, her NGO and even some belonging to her relatives, based on just letters from EFCC and not court orders as should be the case.

Also, Mr Adedipe informed the committee that Mrs Jonathan’s personal salary account with Ecobank was frozen.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon Uzoma Nkem-Abonta in his ruling said, “we are not siding anybody, but the committee hereby direct all the banks concerned to defreeze all the accounts that have no specific restraining order from any court, or the EFCC.”

It could also be recalled that several Igbo youths groups had also severally staged protests across the country demanding the unfreezing of the accounts.

Reacting to the development, the OYC national Public Relations Officer, Engr Obinna Adibe and the National Vice President, Comrade Obinna Achuonye said they had been vindicated on their earlier stand that the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s family was being unjustly persecuted.

In a statement made available to journalists, they lauded the Reps for standing on the path of truth and justice, stressing “the era of hiding under the cloak of anti-corruption to persecute some select Nigerians should totally be brought to an end.”

They added that “these crop of Reps members have no doubt proved to be another bastion of hope for the common man.

“We thank them for taking a firm decision to stand on the path of truth and justice; for refusing to be cowed into doing the bidding of the powers that be.

“May we also use this medium to tell the EFCC to forthwith stop this idea of engaging in illegalities under the guise of anti-corruption.

“The commission should do well to adapt to democratic tenets where due process prevails in conducting affairs of State.

“It is equally apt to add that this idea of engaging in media trial of some Nigerians, simply because of where they come from, is not the right way to go.

“The EFCC should also ensure completion of investigation before clamping down on innocent Nigerians, simply because of spurious petitions from faceless individuals.

“While we laud the House of Reps, we call on the EFCC and all the concerned banks to comply with this order of the House of Representatives. Anything short of that will amount to another act of lawlessness on the part of the commission.”