Former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Prosecutor, Ben Ikani, stated that former governor, Nasir El-Rufia, should have walked into the Kaduna House of Assembly to clear his name, as it would have shown integrity.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday night, the former Attorney General of Kogi State, Ben Ikani, commenting on the El-Rufai’s alleged case of money laundering and diversion of public funds, said that by virtue of the law, the Kaduna House of Assembly has the power to investigate El-Rufai.
Commending the actions of the Kaduna House of Assembly by probing El-Rufai, Ikani stated that an active legislative in a presidential system of democracy will monitor and keep the government accountable.
Ikani said, “What Kaduna State House of Assembly has done is the proper thing to do. It is the only way to checkmate the excesses of the executive. By virtue of section 128, they have the power to investigate. In a presidential system of democracy, the three arms of government have to be very active. They are expected to monitor.
“Accountability is the basis of democracy. If laws are to be practised properly, there would be no need for many laws.”
Further speaking, Ikani urged that more investigation should be done by the “police” as they have “been trained and mandated by the constitution to investigate.”
He expressed that section 308, which provides immunity from trial for the President, Vice-President, Governor, and Deputy Governor during the subsistence of their tenure, “should not be blanket” and there must be “exemption.”
Ikani conveyed thoughts saying that El-Rufai should have come to the House of Assembly to clarify his name instead of sending his deputy, commissioners.
He stated, “Integrity is shown by demonstration, I would have expected him to walk there, even if he was not invited and give his own side of the story, not matter of sending people. The state of assembly must have listened to the people who came and concluded that their evidence is wishy-washy.”
Nancy Mbamalu
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