Source http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=388

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Andoakaar has done a media briefing making a volte face on the initial stance of the Federal Government regarding the powers of the EFCC to prosecute economic criminals, especially ex-governors. In his briefing to the media today at the State House, he stated that he was 'clarifying' media reports about yesterday’s position of the Federal Government which requires the EFCC to refer all of its criminal cases to the office of the Attorney General before they can carry out criminal prosecutions.


The new position now is that the EFCC can prosecute without recourse to his office. The Attorney General working behind the scenes with ex-governors had written a letter to Yar’adua requesting that he is granted the powers to supervise all prosecutions by the EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau. Yar’adua approved the request to please former governors especially James Ibori who had put enormous pressure on him to rein in on the EFCC.

However, what the Attorney General was not telling the media is that the volte face came as a result of the interventions from Chief of Staff and State Counsel who felt the Attorney General's memo to Umar Yar’adua was misleading as did not take into account a subsisting Supreme Court ruling on the issue which was highlighted by the West Africa Bar Association President, Femi Falana in his reaction to the announcement yesterday.

After meeting with the President, Chief of Staff invited the Attorney General over to tell him his position could not stand, a further meeting was held which included EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, Justice Ayoade of ICPC and Wale Babalakin, the honorary Adviser on Legal Matters and the SGF, Baba Gana Kingibe, the meeting concluded that the AG position would compromise the fight against corruption and would injure the Yar’adua administration terribly as exemplified by public outcry over the decision.

Nuhu Ribadu specifically stated that the case referred to AG office, that of Makanjuola, the Permanent Secretary to the ministry of Defence and Obasanjo cousin who embezzled huge amount of money in 2000 did not go anywhere till date.

At the end, a compromise was arrived at that the Attorney General should brief the press to 'clarify' his position as a way of saving the face of the Federal Government since it was his cross anyway.

Meanwhile, Mr. Femi Falana has asked the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to resign his position immediately for gross incompetence

Only in places like Nigeria laws change by the minute! Today it is one thing, tomorrow it is another! Please which one is it Which sets of books should we go buy or should we wait for what will be said tomorrow Gosh! Animal Farm!!!

If the article is true indeed, then I must commend Yar Adua for reversing a bad
decision in time before much harm was done. You have to ask yourself what
where they smoking this past couple of days to have thunk such a decision at
this critical juncture would have gone down otherwise? This AG won't last long. . .

At least Yar Adua can tell the gang that at least he tried - dis one big pass me

sahara reporters have been known as perennial wolf criers, till I see the same story in reputable local press, I won't believe it.

If true however, it would be a good development. muddling the EFCC deep in government bureaucracy would only slow it down.

bad move. his move to place them under the AG was the proper thing to do. besides, this begs the question as to which arrangement is correct under the law

your second statement deserves consideration, as for now, unless it is strictly mandated under the current law, i would not want the prosecuting powers of EFCC subsumed under the AG, the lack of this same power is what has seemingly rendered the ICPC ineffective, and given the usually political nature of the AG, he would be more prone to manipulations (the EFCC as it is now is not immune) as someone would've nominated him into the post and all that.

Your ''reputable'' newspaper carried it too.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f108072007-2.html

Good Move by Yaraudua. He is a good leader not afraid or too proud to clear mistakes

Obong

This has nothing to do with law, the success of EFCC is down to the will and conviction of the man Mallam Nuhu Ribadu not Law. There are loads of legislation that are not given any meaning in this country because nobody is willing to see them true. Any attempt to tame Ribadu by any guise should be resisted if we know what we want. At least until the orientation of Nigerians change a little.

This is not about law, this is about humiliating the symbol of Anti-Corruption.

The Attorney General should kindly resign period.