Yerima Denies Plotting Against EFCC

Hassan Ibrahim, Kaduna - 26.01.2006

Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, on Friday denied that he and his former colleagues have teamed up to frustrate the fight against corruption embarked upon by the Federal Government.

Yerima, who while as state governor was accused by the former Chairman of the EFCC, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, of “direct stealing” from the Zamfara State coffers, spoke in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Hausa Service, monitored in Kaduna.

He said that if the fight against corruption was genuine, the former governors should not be the only target, since there were other people in government such as ministers and local council officials.

Commenting on the allegation that he and former governors, especially those in the Senate, were poised to disrupt the war against corruption, he said, “This is not true, because I am among the senators who want the government to intensify the fight against bribery and corruption.

“We also want the government to pay more attention to the EFCC.” On the allegation that there was a team trying to frustrate the fight against corruption, he said, “This is not true.

“How can we stop the fight even if we have formed a committee? “As you know, the commission is under government. “And former governors, both those in the National Assembly and those that are not there, we have nothing to say now or to do.

“If someone like me in the Assembly will come out, call on government to give more attention to the EFCC, then on what basis would they accuse any former governor?

“I don’t know of any group; and even if some have formed such a group, there is nothing that they can do, because the EFCC is there working and no one can stop them.”