April 04, (THEWILL) – Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, says his predecessor, Willie Obiano, remains innocent until found guilty of misappropriation of public funds.
Soludo spoke on Sunday while appearing on Channels TV’s ‘Sunday Politics’ programme, Monitored by THEWILL.
His remarks followed a probe of former governor Obiano for alleged embezzlement of N5 billion Sure-P funds and N37 billion security votes by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had after Obiano’s arrest, disclosed that part of the funds was allegedly used to finance political activities in Anambra.
But speaking on the TV programme on Sunday night, Governor Soludo said “I am sure the governor (Obiano) will give adequate account of the questions that were asked as the case may be.”
However, Soludo said, “I do know that at some point, Anambra State was reputed to be the safest state in Nigeria and probably didn’t come cheap. But again he (Obiano) deserves his day to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
The governor criticised the EFCC over the “humiliation” of his predecessor while he was in their custody. Adding that while the EFCC has every constitutional right to investigate Obiano, filming the ex-governor in his “private moment” and leaking the video on social media, was outside the functions of the anti-graft agency.
“…you arrested someone and had to video him in his private moment that circulated. I mean, the rule of law does not include humiliating the accused. Don’t forget he is still innocent until proven guilty so to speak. So, he will have his day and respond to them appropriately and I expect him to be able to do so”, he said.
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