. Waziri Hits Back: I was removed because I went After Oil thieves
By Hamilton Nwosa (Head, The New Diplomat’s Business and Poll Tracking Desk)
Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has again revealed that his decision to fire Farida Waziri, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was in the best interest of the country, and not on account of the fact that she was going after alleged Oil thieves .
Dr Jonathan who was reacting to a statement by credited to Waziri in her latest book, ‘Farida Waziri: One Step Ahead’ wherein she alleged that former president Jonathan fired her as EFCC chairman because she was going after ”oil thieves” said she was far from stating the facts and the truth.
In a statement issued on Monday by Ikechukwu Eze, spokesperson to the former president Jonathan, the immediate past president debunked the ex-EFCC boss claims stating that Waziri’s removal was not a personal decision, and that he had retained her when he assumed office despite international call for her sacking on account of several factors
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He said: ”We read media reports credited to the former boss of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, in which she claimed in her new book that she was removed from office by ex-President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, because of her probe of some oil racketeers.”
But for Mrs Waziri, she would have none of these talks. According to her she was sacked because she went after oil thieves and persons who contributed massively to Jonathan’s 2011 presidential election campaign. She said “ I received call from the Villa to release the suspect…” She recounted shocking details of how Jonathan once summoned her to the Villa and tried to gauge her mood, while asking her if she would like to go home and rest. But according to her she replied: “ Mr President do you want to remove me…?” She answered again, that the president’s response was that she was being fired. This war of words have continued unabated.
However, Jonathan in his statement added: ”We thought we had dealt with this matter, after promptly debunking similar statements she made in the past. In 2017 when she claimed that she lost her job because she ‘refused to back down from the probe of one of the masterminds of the fuel subsidy scam’, we quickly refuted and clarified the claim for the records, and even challenged her to name the individual or company in question.
”We had expected that a book from Mrs. Farida, coming years after the claim was first made, should have towed the path of honour by telling the truth for the benefit of history. Unfortunately, that still didn’t happen.
”It will be recalled that after assuming office as President on May 6, 2010, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan decided to retain Mrs. Waziri, who was appointed by his predecessor, late President Umaru Yar’Adua, as the head of the elite anti-crime agency. Despite obvious disenchantment from many Nigerians and mounting international pressure against Mrs. Waziri’s continued stay in office, the former President stood by her, in line with his conviction that every public officer should first be given the opportunity to deliver on his or her mandate.
”It must be pointed out that former President Jonathan had no personal issues with Mrs. Waziri. The former President had to eventually let her go in the national interest. Her removal therefore has a lot to do with reasons relating to Nigeria’s interest and global standing which details Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is obliged to keep as state secret in our common national interest. It is very important to note that when dealing with the interest of the nation and the performance of the functions of a public office, a determined leader cannot prioritise the interest of an individual.”
The lengthy statement continued: ”It therefore bears repeating here that Mrs Waziri’s removal as chairperson of EFCC had absolutely nothing to do with her purported refusal to desist from probing any oil individual. This claim sounds rather superficial and contradicts available evidence of the then government’s genuine efforts to combat oil subsidy racketeering.
It is noteworthy that throughout President Jonathan’s tenure, he made practical efforts to combat the alleged oil cabals, including directing the stoppage of further payment of fuel subsidy claims to oil importers, and the setting up of the Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede-led committee which had high level representation from all the intelligence agencies including the EFCC, with a mandate to thoroughly investigate the scandals in the industry.
The choice of Aig-Aigboje, a man widely acclaimed for his dependability, as leader of the committee, was a clear demonstration that the President had no personal interest in the matter.”
Recall however that Aig-Aigboje’s company was among those indicted along with that of controversial businessman and business ally of Diezani, Jide Omokore by the House of Representatives Committee that probed subsidy fraud racketeering in Nigeria under Jonathan. To many, for Jonathan to describe such a person as widely acclaimed for his dependability is curious and shocking.
Recall also that Mrs. Farida had said there was a call from the Presidential Villa not to arrest the Oil racketeers but she refused to be compromised on the case. She said the late Minister for Information Prof. Dora Akunyili knew of the plot to remove her and asked her to beg Jonathan but she rejected the advice because it was totally against her “conscience and moral judgment.”
She further alleged that another highly-placed source said those in and around the Presidency did not like her because she did not contribute money for Jonathan’s elections in 2011. As part of the countdown to her removal, she said ex- President Jonathan once summoned her on the rumours about her in office.
During the encounter, Jonathan asked her if she would like to go and rest but she was quick to reply if the ex-President wanted to sack her and he only muttered “no.” Also, she said a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Pius Anyim offered her ambassadorial appointment in line with the agenda to oust her from office.
She said ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua was more committed to anti-graft war than any other person adding that the death of Yar’Adua left her vulnerable because his demise broke the spine of the fight against corruption.
She said she was on the street of Abuja when the then Head of Media and Publicity at EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi broke the news of her sack to her. She was fired on November 23, 2011 after spending about three and half years as head of the EFCC.
In this her latest book, Waziri also gave her own account of the 1995 coup in the book, saying Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, who was accused of complicity in the alleged putsch, was innocent of the allegations.
She was EFCC chairman from May 2008 to November 2011. Under her, the anti-graft agency investigated and prosecuted Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the PDP.
She was alleged to have compromised some cases involving former governors like Lucky Igbinedion, former governor of Edo state, who got a slap on the wrist for a $24 million corruption case. She was replaced by Ibrahim Lamorde.
