Bauchi State Governor-elect of Bala Mohammed has declared that he has nothing to hide and will continue to appear in court over bribery charges leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mohammed made the comments on Monday while responding to questions about his appearance at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
According to him, with or without immunity, he’ll continue to appear in court because he has no skeleton in his cupboard.
He said: “I’m a Nigerian who believes in accountability, who believes in the rule of law. I was brought to court this morning; fortunately or unfortunately the judge was not there; it was a continuation of my case, but out of mischief and treachery, it was misrepresented as if it was a new case.
“This is a case that has been on and I don’t want to say anything that will pre-empt the outcome of the process; so I will leave it at that.
“It is the whole case that we have been on with the EFCC and after winning my election, they still took me to court.
“I know my lawyers are trying to determine my status whether as a governor who has been duly elected by the people; as a governor who has been returned by the institution recognised by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is INEC is eligible to be taken to court at this moment. But having said that, I believe in the rule of law and I believe in the constitution and in the right of institutions to carry out their statutory duties.
“So I was in court and of course the thing has been postponed to another time and I will be there any time I am asked even if I am in government. If my immunity is severed from me I’m ready to face the law because I know that at the cost of pre-empting the outcome of the court, I have not done anything wrong.
“Bala Mohammed has done so much in Abuja which you know. I have left legacies and landmarks and I am proud to say that my people have recognised my contribution and today I am a governor-elect. I am never distracted.”
His comments comes after a coalition of local civil society organizations based in Bauchi State appealed to the EFCC to ensure speedy prosecution of his case.
This is coming as Mohammed’s trial, before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, was on Monday delayed owing to the absence of the trial Judge.
The group, Bauchi Civil Society Organization Network, in a petition signed by its Coordinator, Hussein Mohammed, to the acting chairman of the EFCC Ibrahim Magu, insisted that Mohammed be persecuted before he begins to enjoy immunity.
