Former spokesman for the South-East to President Bola Tinubu, Mr Josef Onoh, has accused former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, of hypocrisy and disregard for the rule of law during his tenure in office.
Onoh, who is also Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, made the allegation in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He was reacting to Malami’s call for the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, to recuse himself from investigations involving the former AGF over alleged conflict of interest.
Onoh urged Malami to desist from what he described as attempts to intimidate the EFCC leadership and instead submit himself to the ongoing investigation.
According to him, Malami’s claims of political persecution were inconsistent with his record as AGF, during which he alleged that court orders were repeatedly disobeyed and prosecutions politicised.
He cited the 2020 removal of former acting EFCC chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, alleging that Malami played a central role in Magu’s suspension and subsequent investigation by the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
Onoh also referenced the prolonged detention of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), despite multiple court orders granting him bail, as well as the prosecution of former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh, as examples of what he described as disregard for judicial decisions.
On the handling of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Onoh said actions taken during Malami’s tenure were widely criticised for violating court orders.
He dismissed Malami’s reliance on the Justice Ayo Salami panel report as grounds for demanding Olukoyede’s recusal, arguing that the EFCC chairman’s previous role as secretary to the panel does not preclude him from overseeing investigations.
Onoh maintained that the EFCC should be allowed to carry out its statutory duties without interference, stressing that no former public office holder is immune from investigation.
He further challenged Malami to submit himself to due process and defend his actions in court if he believes he has no case to answer.
‘You flouted court orders as AGF’ – Onoh tells Malami