A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), The Network for Defence of Democracy and Good Governance (NDDG) has denied allegations that it was hired by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to pressurise the Rivers State Government on alleged withdrawal of N118bn over the counter by some of its officials.
The group explained that it took up the matter as part of its mandate of holding the government and other public officers accoutable insisting that there must be transperncy in deployment of public resources.
The group founded by an ex-militant leader, High Chief Soboma Jackrich, popularly known in the creeks as Egberipapa, said it was disturbed that since The Nation exclusively reported the investigations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the matter, the government had yet to explain its involvement.
Jackrich, who spoke in his Degema hometown on Wednesday, said relying on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FoI), NDDG comprising notable stakeholders wrote to the government demanding vital explanations on the matter.
He said the government’s reply to the EFCC that the commission was barred by a court judgement from investigating the financial transactions of the state amounted to begging the question.
He said they were not bothered about the injunctive order against the EFCC but were concerned about the damming report, which cast doubts on the financial integrity of the state government.
Jackrich said: “Recently a publication, which may be described as damning was made by a major national newspaper, The Nation, alleging that there were some financial irregularities to the tone of N118bn involving agents of the government and the government of Rivers state itself either jointly or severally.
“We state that contrary to some diversionary narratives against our questions, we are not sponsored by anyone including the EFCC as some have mischievously alluded. The questions we have asked are stakeholders’ questions devoid of malice. There is nothing wrong in asking questions because they are fundamentally a right to do so. To not do so Is injustice and wicked.
“The way to go is for the Rivers state government to come out clean and explain to the public its own side of the story in the spirit of both fair hearing and stewardship because the government holds all public funds in trust.
“The attitude of being defensive holding the injunctive order as a shield barring the government rom explaining these questions on probity gives a rational mind and the unsuspecting public the choice of thinking out loud to believe these allegations. This is very curious to say the least because this posturing by some government officials ostensibly forecloses the government from public confidence.
“The idea of blackmailing the founder of NDDGG, High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich is just too below the belt and primordial and so go to no issues. The NDDGG in several fora have commended the Govermor of Rivers state His Excellency Nyesom Wike on laudable achievements in various areas but this does not mute us where the need arises for us to ask fundamental questions.
“The Rivers state government should responsibly give bit by bit verifiable and cogent explanations to these allegations raised by the EFCC. The intention here is nothing but transparency and probity in governance as per public funds and nothing more.
“The question now remains, is it wrong for accountability questions to be asked and what is wrong for the Rivers state government to answer the questions? How does asking accountability questions qualify a person or a group as an enemy of the state?”
