EFCC challenges court’s reprieve for Oduah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has challenged the powers of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court which granted a reprieve to a former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.

The court on August 26, 2015 had granted an interim injunction barring the EFCC, ICPC, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police from taking any action against her as regards the purchase of two armoured BMW cars at a cost of N160m in 2013 by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority under her watch.

Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in Lagos granted the order following an ex parte application by Oduah’s lawyer, Mr. R.A. Oluyede.

But the EFCC, in its preliminary objection, is challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to entertain the matter.

The anti-graft agency is contending that the suit was wrongly commenced in Lagos since the subject matter took place in Abuja.

Apart from this, the EFCC described Oduah’s claims as baseless and speculative, saying that the ex-minister failed to place enough material fact before the court to justify her claim that she was about to be invited or arrested.

The commission urged the court to reject Oduah’s suit for lacking in merit.

Oduah, who is currently in the Senate representing Anambra North Senatorial District, had approached the court claiming that the current government, under the guise of anti-graft war, was making moves to persecute and humiliate her.

Read also: Court restrains EFCC, ICPC from arresting Oduah

She claimed that the All Progressives Congress government had perfected plans to try prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party, including herself, on trumped up charges in a Lagos State Government-controlled court.

According to her, this ploy was to depopulate the PDP so that Nigeria could become a one-party country.

According to Oduah, the All Progressives Congress, in a desperate bid to capture power, began a campaign of calumny by “demonising the most visible leaders of the PDP, including myself and others who were seen as pivotal to the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

She said as part of the APC’s campaign of calumny, the party’s leadership commissioned some faceless organisations to write letters to the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, accusing her of “all manners of corrupt practices and offences in respect of my stewardship as Minister of Aviation.”

Hearing of the main suit has been adjourned till October 2, 2015.

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