Elder statesman and former Information Minister, Edwin Clark, has called for the restructuring of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the sack of its chairman, Ibrahim Larmorde.
Mr Clark at a press conference on Thursday said the anti-graft commission as it is presently headed by Mr Larmorde, cannot champion the anti-corruption war, adding it otherwise championing falsehood.
He said he is disappointed with the way the agency’s handling of the alleged $15 million bribe which was allegedly offered by former Delta state governor, James Ibori to erstwhile head of the agency, Nuhu Ribadu.
Mr Clark for the umpteenth time alleged that the EFCC chairman should be sacked for his role and handling of the case because he (Lamorde) tried to shield Mr Ibori from investigation and prosecution, adding that Mr Ibori has admitted to embezzling the funds in a plea he submitted during his trial in London.
He also accused the agency of changing its testimony on the ownership of the money after it had in 2007 sworn to an affidavit stating that the money was from Mr Ibori.
The EFCC through an oral application by its counsel on Monday, sought the leave of the court to summon the former Minister of Information, for contempt of court but the application was refused by Justice Gabriel Kolawole.
At a resumed hearing to determine the owner of the $15 million alleged bribe offered by the former Delta State governor to the former EFCC chairman, the counsel to the commission, Rotimi Jacobs complained of statements credited to Mr Clark suggesting that the proceedings filed by the EFCC was based on falsehood as such the agency’s boss should be sacked.
