AGF, Assets Recovery Panel Squabble Over Trial Of APC Guber Candidate

The 2019 governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Imo State Hope Uzodinma on Tuesday caused a sharp exchange of words between the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Special Investigative Panel. The two clashed after the AGF stepped in to take over the scheduled trial of Uzodinma over his alleged failure to declare his assets.

The two offices had over time had occasion to disagree leading to reports that the AGF, Abubakar Malami had queried the chairman of the panel, Okoi Obno-Obla.

Uzodinma was dragged to the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang by the Obno-Obla led Special Investigative Committee on the Recovery of Federal Government Assets.

Uzodinma had on at least two previous occasions snubbed the summons of the panel to appear before the court.

The panel had upon that applied for a bench warrant to be served on Uzodinma but the trial judge, Justice Abang, however, rejected the plea as he ruled that Uzodinma should be given another opportunity to appear

When Uzodinma finally appeared before court on Tuesday, Mr. Celsius Ukpong identified himself as the prosecution counsel for the panel.

He was immediately countered by Mr. P. U. Akuta who announced himself as a representative of the AGF and that he had been sent to take over the case.

Strong objections by Ukpong that the AGF could only announce himself only after the defendant had entered a plea were countered by Akuta.

Justice Abang was minded to align with Akuta as he held that Section 174(1) of the Constitution granted the AGF as the chief law officer of the country to take over any case at any time.

The AGF had in time past also clashed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over the same issue.

Senator Uzodinma came under the focus of the panel after it raised issues that the lawmaker failed to execute a $12 million contract for the dredging of the Calabar Chanel.

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