You’re a blatant Liar, Peddler of Falsehood, ex EFCC Chair, Waziri tells Obasanjo

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, National Politics, North-West, Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-79, 99-07), Presidency, Top Stories Thursday, September 12th, 2013

…says his real age blurs his memory

Defending her integrity, the Former Chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs.
Farida Waziri on Wednesday blasted ex-President Olusegun
Obasanjo describing him as a blatant liar and a peddler of
“arrant falsehood.”

Obasanjo had in an interview attacked the integrity and the
tenure of Mrs Waziri as EFCC boss even as he linked her
with disgraced ex-governor of Delta state James Ibori who is
currently serving a prison term in United Kingdom. Obasanjo
also doubted if Mrs Farida was qualified for the EFCC job.

In a swift reaction, however, Mrs Farida Waziri in a statement
warned Obasanjo to respect his age as she said “I remember
this was one of the lies Obasanjo’s sit-tight pawns cooked to
stop my appointment as EFCC chairman in 2008.”

She punched Obasanjo further that “It is worrisome when a
man who has been twice a Nigerian head of state can
descend so low to peddle falsehood. The truth is that I never
met Ibori in my life, until after months in office as chairman of
the EFCC when I used to see him in the Presidential Villa.”

On her performance in office, the former EFCC boss
explained that “It is on record today that I initiated the
investigation that drove Ibori into the waiting hands of Interpol
and Met Police. As such, it is illogical and nonsensical for
anyone to continue to insinuate that Ibori has a hand in my
appointment.”

On the issue of her qualifications for the EFCC job as raised
by Obasanjo, Mrs Farida reminded Mr Obasanjo that “the
qualification for the appointment as chairman of the
commission as stipulated in its Establishment Act says that
the chairman shall be a serving or retired member of any
government security or law enforcement agency not below
the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent;
and possess not less than 15 years cognate experience.

“The late President Yar’adua did not have to alter the
Establishment Act when he was appointing me unlike what
Obasanjo did.

“Again for the records, I served in the Nigeria Police Force for
35 years and got to the pinnacle of my career before my
appointment as EFCC chairman.”

“If Obasanjo’s real age has not blurred his memory, I will like
to remind him that I was a Commissioner of Police, Admin
Force CID, CP General Investigations, CP Anti-fraud, CP X
Squad, CP Police Special Fraud Unit where I secured the first
conviction in a case of Advance Fee Fraud in Nigerian history.

“These are all prime investigative organs of the Nigeria Police
where I related with other law enforcement agencies,
including the FBI, across the world. I must place on record
that at SFU, I did not only relate with FBI, Interpol and Met
police among others, we carried out joint operations at
different times on a number of cases. I have also led the
Nigerian delegation to the Interpol headquarters in France.”
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