Presidential pardon: Disband EFCC, ICPC now, Wike lambasts Buhari
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, also a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to disband the two anti-graft agencies in the country, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC.
He stated this, yesterday, in Kano while responding to questions on the recent granting of pardon to some former governors convicted of corruption.
“By granting pardon to the former governors, President Buhari has disgraced the EFCC and the ICPC and should immediately disband them.”
Wike who also paid a courtesy call on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said that Nigeria was bleeding and they needs people like himself to rescue it, adding that Nigerians must begin to talk about the unity and togetherness of the country beyond party lines.
“There is no gainsaying that the country is not getting it right and there should be a desperate effort to save the country, and by this, I’m out to right the wrongs.”
However, Wike agreed that should Ganduje be contesting the presidency, he wouldn’t have tried to contest because he knew he would not make it.
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“If Ganduje is running for the Presidency, some of us will quickly withdraw our ambitions, but thank God he is not running and I’m sure he will help me to make it.”
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In his address, Governor Ganduje explained that the diversity of the Wike presidential team was Nigeria, and this clearly shows that the man believes in the greatness of Nigeria.
“Party differences should not make us stupid, our diversity is an advantage, even though we failed to utilize our diversity, each one of us must try in his own bid to change the status quo.”
He called on the Nigerian governors to be responsible for national integration, using their states and should act and see people as part of themselves by allowing them to own properties.
Recall that Mr Femi Falana, SAN, had faulted the state pardon granted to former governors of Plateau and Taraba, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, respectively.
Speaking during the one-year remembrance programme for the late Publicity Secretary of Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Organisation, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, Falana described the release of the politicians as discriminatory.
Falana said: “My reaction is that all criminals, thieves in our prisons should be released.
“Because section 17 of the constitution says there shall be equality, equal rights for all citizens and section 42 said there shall be no discrimination on the basis of class, gender, whatever, so you can’t take out two people and leave the rest there. It’s illegal.”
