The immediate past Minister of State, Foreign Affairs Musiliu Obanikoro has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to sincerely publish the names of the directors and signatories to the Sylvan McNamara Limited account that allegedly received N4.8billion from the office of the National Security Adviser.

In a statement circulated on his behalf by his media aide, Jonathan Eze, Mr. Obanikoro said the EFCC should provide details of the real signatories to the account “as at when the said money was paid instead of demonising and deceiving Nigerians with vague, contrived and distorted information”.

“Obanikoro is appalled by the public political persecution embarked upon by these agencies noting that there is nowhere in the world where investigations are being conducted using the pages of the newspapers,” the statement said.

The former minister also “queried the wisdom and logic of bandying figures and associating same with his sons who are thorough bred professionals in their own rights reminding them that the court of law is and remains the judicial institution for trying cases and not whipping sentiments in order to give the dog a bad name and hang it.”

Saying he served the nation in various capacities with enviable and untainted records of public service, Mr. Obanikoro urged the EFCC to be straight and above board in its investigations and avoid speculations and conjectures that are infringing on the fundamental human rights of his sons.

The statement reads in parts, “Associating my sons to the Sylvan McNamara account that allegedly received funds from the office of the embattled National security Adviser is highly preposterous and unthinkable.

“I am particularly amazed by the fact that trials and investigations are being done using the media unconventionally just to satisfy the cravings of political entities who are desperate to rub my hard earned reputation in the mud.

“I am using this medium to challenge … the EFCC to publish in good conscience the signatories and the names of the directors of the said company and to restate that I shall conclusively pursue this injustice and infringements to a logical end.”

Credit: PremiumTimes