You’re a blatant Liar, Farida Waziri slams Obasanjo

Posted by African Examiner Featured, News, Uncategorized Thursday, September 12th, 2013

…says his real age blurs his memory

Nigeria’s Former President Olusegun Obasano

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 the 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.”