A Niger Delta based socio-economic and political group, Movement for Justice, has asked former FCT minister, Mallam Nasir el-Ruafai to brace up and defend himself against the corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) rather than campaigning against President Goodluck Jonathan and the anti-graft agency prosecuting him.

The group in a statement released at the weekend by its national coordinator, Chief Daniel Otubu said it monitored closely the reckless abandon with which el-Rufai had been using a newspaper to attack the administration of President Jonathan and virtually every visible agency of government in a desperate bid to discredit the present administration.

According to the statement, “We wish to draw the attention of the general public to the unbridled hatred and desperation with which el-Rufai is pursuing his clique’s agenda against President Jonathan and every institution working under his administration. We have noticed in the past weeks that the former minister has, as a matter of agenda, continued to attack agencies of government ranging from NNPC to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and now the EFCC.

“We understand Mallam el-Rufai is bitter that President Jonathan has refused to interfere in the work of the EFCC by asking the commission to drop corruption charges against him but this should not be enough reason for him to want to bring down the whole country through systematic and calculated campaigns of calumny against Mr President and agencies of government.

“We are of the view that Mallam el-Rufai should face his trial in court where he has the chance of defending why, as FCT minister, he had to revoke lands allocated to PHCN and others for infrastructural development and allocate same to his wives, brothers and associates in flagrant violation of the Abuja master plan, rather than mobilising cliques within and outside the country to destabilise government.”

The group expressed its unflinching support for the administration of President Jonathan and the commitment of the EFCC to rid the country of all forms of corruption.

“We want to assure President Jonathan, the EFCC and its chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri, that we are solidly behind them and that no amount of blackmail, sponsored publications, campaign of calumny or attempts to discredit them and their work will change our support and that of the Nigerian people in their pursuit of a just, equitable and better society.

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