The Federal Government has no plan to drop charges against anybody facing prosecution in court or stop the ongoing prosecution of ex-governors, the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Chief Mike Aondoakaa (SAN), has said.
Aondoakaa said the law must take its course in respect of the ongoing prosecution of some of the ex-governors.
Addressing journalists yesterday in his office in Abuja, the Justice Minister said: "We've never contemplated withdrawal of any charges preferred against any governor. The policy of the government is not to interfere with judicial process. We've never said that we are going to drop charges against anybody being prosecuted by the government.”
To him, all prosecutions are valid and government has no intention to discontinue any of them.
Aondoakaa’s declaration is thought to be a response to insinuations that the move to send the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State, is to pave the ground for the discontinuation of the cases against some of the ex-governors particularly the former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori.
The arraignment of the ex-Delta State governor had brought to six the number of former governors being prosecuted by EFCC for alleged corruption while in office.
Others include Alhaji Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Chief Orji Kalu (Abia), Rev. Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Alhaji Buka Abba Ibrahim (Yobe) and Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu).
Yesterday, Aondoakaa also reiterated that government could not be pressurised into probing the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, unless it had concrete facts to commence action against him or there is a petition to that effect.
He said President Yar ‘Adua believes in facts and not rumour and that whoever has any proof on the former leader should come forward since government is not ready to base its action on rumour or speculation.
The Justice Minister also denied that he said the judgments for which the Federal Government incurred debts were fake.
He described media reports to that effect as fake.
The AGF said in making his statement he only reacted to a question which had sought to know details of the budget proposed by his ministry before the House of Representatives Committee on Judicial Matters.
Aondoakaa said he had requested additional documents to assist his office get presidential approval and possibly make recommendations for the payment of additional balance of N12 million judgment debts.
Aondoakaa had been reported in some newspapers to have told the House Committee on Judicial Matters that the Federal Government paid $6 million to a foreign oil firm for a non-existent court judgment.
The amount was said to be part of the $18 million judgment debt awarded against the Federal Government by a United States court in favour of Marsh Oil.
Aondoakaa said the law must take its course in respect of the ongoing prosecution of some of the ex-governors.
Addressing journalists yesterday in his office in Abuja, the Justice Minister said: "We've never contemplated withdrawal of any charges preferred against any governor. The policy of the government is not to interfere with judicial process. We've never said that we are going to drop charges against anybody being prosecuted by the government.”
To him, all prosecutions are valid and government has no intention to discontinue any of them.
Aondoakaa’s declaration is thought to be a response to insinuations that the move to send the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State, is to pave the ground for the discontinuation of the cases against some of the ex-governors particularly the former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori.
The arraignment of the ex-Delta State governor had brought to six the number of former governors being prosecuted by EFCC for alleged corruption while in office.
Others include Alhaji Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Chief Orji Kalu (Abia), Rev. Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Alhaji Buka Abba Ibrahim (Yobe) and Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu).
Yesterday, Aondoakaa also reiterated that government could not be pressurised into probing the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, unless it had concrete facts to commence action against him or there is a petition to that effect.
He said President Yar ‘Adua believes in facts and not rumour and that whoever has any proof on the former leader should come forward since government is not ready to base its action on rumour or speculation.
The Justice Minister also denied that he said the judgments for which the Federal Government incurred debts were fake.
He described media reports to that effect as fake.
The AGF said in making his statement he only reacted to a question which had sought to know details of the budget proposed by his ministry before the House of Representatives Committee on Judicial Matters.
Aondoakaa said he had requested additional documents to assist his office get presidential approval and possibly make recommendations for the payment of additional balance of N12 million judgment debts.
Aondoakaa had been reported in some newspapers to have told the House Committee on Judicial Matters that the Federal Government paid $6 million to a foreign oil firm for a non-existent court judgment.
The amount was said to be part of the $18 million judgment debt awarded against the Federal Government by a United States court in favour of Marsh Oil.
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