Anti-corruption Group Reacts to Court Suit Against Minister of State for Petroleum
- A court suit was recently instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative
- In the suit, the anti-corruption group accused the minister of state for petroleum of parading fake certificates
- Reacting to the allegations, another anti-graft group has asked Nigerian authorities to commence investigation on the matter
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FCT, Abuja - Anti-corruption group, Citizens Initiative for Better Nigeria, on Wednesday, December 7 asked the minister of state for petroleum, Timipre Sylva to respond to the allegations against him in a recent law suit.
This came on the heels of a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1563/2022 which was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative (TADI) against the minister.
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The suit which has the Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and others as defendants, amongst other reliefs accused the minister of identity theft, impersonation and forgery.
Addressing the press on the allegations, Abdulmalik Alpha, publicity officer, CIBN said:
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“We recall vividly that while undergoing screening as governorship and ministerial candidate before the Bayelsa state gubernatorial screening committee in 2007 as well as the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives in 2019 Chief Timipre Sylva presented certain academic certificates which have been found to contain noticeable anomalies.
“It was indeed the duty of the DSS and Police to do due diligence and check the authenticity or otherwise of the said academic certificates but they failed to perform their duty for reasons we cannot fathom.
“Nevertheless, Chief Timipre Sylva has been unable to prove to the satisfaction of Nigerian citizens that those academic certificates which he parades everywhere till date are not falsified, forged or stolen from a third party.
“We are amazed that the DSS, Police and National Assembly of Nigeria have decided to keep mute in the face of corruption, fraud and sheer criminality. As far as we are concerned, the fight against corruption and all forms of criminalities should start from persons who occupy public offices.”
He said the CIBN will resist any ploy to make the laws applicable to only poor people in Nigeria.
He added:
“We encourage TADI to fight on in court while we pursue justice through other civil actions.
“In the next few days, we shall lead patriotic Nigerians in their thousands to barricade the National Assembly Complex, Aso Rock Villa, Bayelsa State Government House and other strategic locations for purpose of demanding that Timipre Sylva be brought to book as a matter of urgency.”
G5 Comment: It's Time to Resign, 18 civil society groups tell CJN Ariwoola
Similarly, Civil Society Organizations under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Societies of Nigeria have again asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola, to resign his appointment over a political comment he made in Rivers state recently.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, December 6 in Abuja, the coalition team leader, Olayinka Dada, said the groups have outlined measures and legitimate means through which, the CJN should he fail to resign, will leave office.
According to Dada, the country needs an impartial umpire to oversee the judiciary and this Nigerians will not compromise.
G5 comment: Arewa groups ask CJN Ariwoola to resign before 2023 polls
Recall that 52 northern groups recently demanded for the resignation of Ariwoola, accusing the CJN of aligning himself with some Peoples Democratic Party governors.
The national coordinator of the groups, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said the CJN’s perceived gaffe had confirmed the assertion that some judges were no better than politicians in black robes.
According to him, Justice Ariwoola had cast serious doubts around his personal integrity and the expectations for the judiciary to maintain neutrality in whatever circumstances.
Source: Legit.ng
