Segun Babatunde Awofadeji, Bauchi
A group of Legal practitioners under the platform of Lawyers for the Cause of Bauchi (LAWBA) has criticised the action taken against the immediate past Accountant General (AG) of the state by the Bauchi state government, through the Bauchi State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.
Addressing a press conference weekend, the Public Relations Officer of the group, Bala Hussaini Esq. maintained that the arrest and detention of the former AG by the Bauchi state government on issues of corruption lacks legal basis, hence same is dead on arrival as a matter of the law.
According to the group, “When the news broke out about Abubakar Sa’idu arrest, detention and so on, many people became interested and hopeful that something that will be of benefit to the state in terms of the fight against corruption will be achieved”
“This is the legal implication of the binding and subsisting judgement delivered on the 20th July 2023 by the Federal High Court Bauchi Division Presided by Hon. Justice M. S. Liman in Suit No: FHC/BA/CS/76/2022”, the LAWBA disclosed.
The group of Lawyers said, in order to be taken seriously on the issue, Bauchi state Government should refer the case and other similar corruption related cases to the EFCC, ICPC and other duly constituted agencies.
“We note and observe that like on the issue of state police, conduct of local government elections and so on, the people have more confidence and trust in Federal Institutions than their state counterparts”, Barrister Bala Hussaini, Esq. said.
According to LAWBA, “the corruption case in focus, this becomes more compelling, sensible and justifiable as the law that created the so-called Bauchi State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has been invalidated by the judgement in reference which is still subsisting and in full force, same having not been set aside on appeal or halted in any other legal manner”.
The Lawyers said “it is curious that for a Commission that was purportedly created in 2022, it took until few weeks ago and more than one year after the invalidation of the law creating it before it is taking its first major action or case on corruption and even then narrowing it down to only one public officer in the person of the immediate past Accountant General of the State”.
LAWBA said going by the facts and information at its disposal, the government owe citizens a duty to explain how possible is it for only one person to perpetrate the alleged offences alone.
“The point is that as a matter of the rule of law, it doesn’t admit to selective Justice or politically motivated persecution in the name of fight against corruption”, the group said.
It insisted that the government owe the people an explanation as to what exactly is happening and who if any are the other persons having explanations to offer on this case and other matters having to do with the commonwealth of the Bauchi, particularly the aspect of management, accountability and transparency.
“Leaders hold offices in trust for the people so their should be full disclosure on any matter of public interest. It is important for other well meaning citizens to join hands with us in driving the struggle for a genuine fight against corruption and other excesses of people in authority”, LAWBA stated.
The Lawyers commended the role played by some leading members of the Bar in Bauchi State and other patriotic citizens across all divides who have contributed to the task of putting government on its toes on the issue of fight against corruption.
LAWBA while vowing to take the matter a notch higher in the best interest of the state, said Law, power and authority must be deployed to serve the collective good of the nation by co-operating with properly constituted bodies like the EFCC, ICPC and the Human Rights Commission to determine the various legal issues involved for necessary action.
“We are ready and shall do more in ensuring that the right thing is done on these matters”, the Lawyers promised. END
