By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT— AN aide to Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said he has no case to answer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Nyesom, who is the Chief of Staff, Government House, wondered why the anti- graft body listed him as one of those, who has a  pending case, when an Appeal Court had quashed the allegations against him.

The Chief of Staff, who accused the EFCC of being sponsored to stop some persons from holding political offices, said it will not be out of place to label the anti- graft agency as a corruption institution.  He accused the agency of what he termed “abuse of state security machinery”, which he noted was the worst form of corruption.

He said, he was never charged for money laundering or for making huge cash transactions over the counter as alleged by the EFCC.

“I have never laundered money or cashed huge sums of money across the counter.“
According to him, the only charge the anti-graft body brought against him was that he allegedly converted government account into a personal one, noting that this had long been quashed by the Appeal Court, Abuja for lack of evidence.

“The court of appeal upheld my appeal, dismissed the charges and discharged and acquitted me,” he said.

Nyesom again reminded the EFCC that it lacked the powers to determine for any party who it should field for any position.

“Every discerning Nigerian is aware that the Supreme Court has in several decided cases ruled that the EFCC has no power to determine for the political parties or for Nigerians persons who are fit to run for public office.

That power is resident only in the constitution of the federal republic and conferred only on the courts and the people”

Nyesom is one of the top contenders for the Rivers South East senatorial slot in the National Assembly.