The winner of the January 2011 gubernatorial primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Jubril Isah Echocho has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging threats to his life by some powers that be over the suit he instituted to challenge the swearing in of governor Idris Wada in the state.
Isah, in a letter by his counsel, Wole Olanipekun, dated July 9, 2012 and titled: Re: “Persecution and intimidation of Mr. Jubril Isah,” stated that some forces were attempting to use the EFCC to resurrect a non-existent case against him.
According to him, the EFCC, which earlier charged him alongside some directors of Afribank over financial dealings, had on August 21, 2010 withdrawn his name from the suit involving Afribank directors and later adopted him as a prosecution witness.
His counsel, however, said in the letter also copied to the Attorney General of the Federation, that some forces have been mounting pressure on the EFCC to prosecute Isah afresh based on his refusal to withdraw the suit challenging the election in Kogi.
Olanipekun in the letter on behalf of Isah said that the EFCC had on November 21, 2010 through his counsel, Rotimi Jacobs and the head of its legal department, M.S Hassan informed a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that the name of the third accused person which is Echocho be struck out from the charge, adding that the trial judge, Justice J.T Tsoho had consequently struck out his name from the charge.
The petition further stated that Justice O.A Akinlade of the Lagos State High Court had also on June 1,2011 struck out the name of Echocho when they were re-arraigned.
The petition read in part: " Our client is a politician and a leading member of the PDP in Kogi State. In fact, he contested and won the primary election of the party in 2011 and his name was sent to INEC as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Kogi State in April 2011 governorship election, but for the fact that the election did not hold in Kogi State due to the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja and the Court of Appeal, Abuja which declared that the term of office of the then governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim would not lapse until 2012, but the judgement was later set aside by the Supreme Court.
"Our client has since instituted an action, principally against INEC challenging the purported election of Alhaji Idris Wada as the governor of Kogi State in a purported election held during the pendency of INEC’s appeal to the Supreme Court. Against the background of the Supreme Court judgement to the effect that contrary to the judgement of the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, Ibrahim Idris ought and should have vacated office on May 28, 2011.
"As a result of the proceedings in court at the instance of our client, the 'powers that be' in Kogi State have not only been harassing him to the effect that EFCC should willy nilly prosecute him. Put bluntly, these 'powerful' people have been trying to use a respected commission headed by an equally highly esteemed officer of your status and person to harass, intimidate, molest and persecute our client.
"Fortunately, the EFCC would not bend to their illegal machination and demands. Thus, by a letter dated 23rd April, 2012 signed by Bamanga Bello for the Head of Operations of the EFCC, our client was duly informed that he would be a witness for the EFCC in the prosecution of the accused persons in the Afribank criminal trial.
"Despite the foregoing, the same set of powerful people keep on continuously and continually harassing and intimidating our client that unless he withdraws his legitimate action at the Federal High Court, the EFCC has been convinced by them to now prosecute him, anytime from now."
According to the petition, the only offence committed by Isah was that he had the audacity to challenge his stolen mandate in court.
He, therefore, asked the EFCC and the AGF to refuse to hearken to the “illegal and unconstitutional calls” of those behind the attacks on Jubril Isah.
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