Former EFCC chair, Farida Waziri has denied an allegation by former President Obasanjo that she was headhunted for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chair position by convicted ex-Governor of Delta state, James Ibori.
Speaking during an interview with EFCC Magazine, “Zero Tolerance”, she said she did not know Ibori or former Attorney General, Mike Aondoakaa (SAN) before her appointment by President Umar Yaradua.
She said: “I never knew him; I never knew James Ibori. When I was appointed, I went to the Villa very often because the President called his staff and told them Farida has free access to him 24/7 whether in the office or Villa.
“So, I went there very often and I met Ibori; he was always there.”
She said the allegation that she tipped off Ibori to his pending arrest was the work of malicious rumour peddlers.
“By the time I write my book, the truth will prevail. I never knew Ibori; look, I believe what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. I don’t believe in half measures.
“By my training and upbringing, I can never betray my country for anyone, for any reason; I never had to go to National Security Adviser with the police to assist, that was when the police was attacked.
“If I was in league with him, wouldn’t I have said ‘lie low, don’t worry’, that we will just do that and pretend. Let me ask you, if I was in league with Ibori and was not sincerely pursuing him, would he have gone out of this country to Dubai?
Speaking on her relationship with former AG, Mike Aondoakaa, she said she met him after Yaradua had already selected her for the job.
She said: “I think what happened was that my younger brother, Aondoakaa, the former AGF, was close to Ibori. This former AGF is from my area, my local government, but I never knew him. Well, he might have known me because young people know the elderly.
“When I was in Turkey with my husband, one of my relations called and said, ‘you know your brother is now the AG’. I said ‘really’. People probably linked me to him and thought he brought me.
“Believe you me; he was against my becoming the EFCC chairman. When the President picked my CV, that was when he came to my house for the first time and said the President had shocked them.
“What happened? He said ‘he picked your CV, now are you going to do the job. Because the press will come after you, why don’t you answer now so that I can go back?’
“I asked him, ‘is it the president that sent you?’ He said ‘yes’. I said ‘I will think about it’. He said ‘no, no, no, I should tell him now.’ I called my husband and told him this is what the AG has said and he said ‘well, you cannot refuse to serve your father land in any capacity, so convey to them the message.”
On her sack as EFCC chairman, faulted the approach adopted by President Goodluck Jonathan.
She said: “The manner of the sack was what bothered me. I have done a span of 35 years, fighting for my father land. I deserve some little dignity and respect.
“When you wake up and you see on AIT, Waziri sacked! ‘NTA, Waziri sacked!’ Channels, ‘Waziri sacked!’ That is the style I am talking about.
“My predecessor’s case was even worse, but I do hope that the authorities will take note. Except you are removed as a result of gross misconduct, any other way, you should be treated with dignity, respect for human person.
“So, it’s the style I frowned at, not about leaving; I knew I would one day leave. In fact, the hand writing was on the wall. I knew it was a matter of time.”
“Of course, I was all out and that was how he ran out and went and got himself in more trouble.”