Don’t be afraid if you have no skeletons in your cupboard, EFCC tells Saraki

TRACKING>>The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday told Senate President, Bukola Saraki not to be afraid if he has no skeletons in his cupboard.

The commission insisted that it must go on with the probe on the tenure of Saraki as governor of Kwara State between 203 and 2011.

A statement issued by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Tony Orilade, said the commission had the sacred mandate of eradicating corruption from the system without protecting any sacred cow.

The statement said the commission would conduct a legitimate forensic inquiry into Saraki’s tenure as a governor.

The EFCC said it had taken note of the reactions of Saraki to the commission’s inquiries regarding his earnings as Kwara State governor as well as on the quality of his financial stewardship in the Senate, saying that while it was his prerogative to ventilate his views on the matter as he deemed fit, the commission took great exception at the desperate attempt to cast a slur on its investigative activities by portraying Saraki as a victim of persecution.

The statement said the commission found the attempt by Saraki to tie its inquest to his International Human Rights Commission, IHRC appointment and his approaching life out of power as misleading, knowing too well that the background to its current inquiries reached several years back.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC is obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and has supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone. It is in the interest of the public and for Saraki’s personal good, that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so,” it stated.

It added that Saraki’s probe was guided by the overriding public interest, saying that all the instances in which the EFCC have had cause to sleuth into his financial activities either as a former governor or President of the Senate were driven by overarching public interest and due process of the law.

“Against the background of the possession of indicting petitions and other evidence available to the EFCC, even Saraki will agree with the commission that putting him through a legitimate forensic inquiry is the legitimate route to establish his integrity as a public servant. The distinguished Senate President has no need to fret so long as he has no skeletons in his cupboard,” the EFCC said.