By Chinelo Ezinwa,Special Correspondent, Abuja
5th November

Ribadu who made the allegation in Abuja on Saturday said the governor offered the bribe through a legal practitioner whose names he withheld.

The EFCC boss spoke at a workshop the commission organised in conjunction with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) as part of activities marking the "Fix Nigeria Initiative".

But in his reaction, Governor Nnamani debunked the allegation.

Speaking on his behalf in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Saturday, Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Igbonekwu Ogazimorah said Ribadu had been making the allegation for a long time and that it was obvious that he was lying.

His words: "He is not saying the truth. We don’t know who approached him or what place the purported bribe was offered."

Notwithstanding the frustration of the commission in the battle against corrupt officials, Ribadu assured that all those fingered would soon be tried before the courts.

Although he expressed respect for lawyers, he however accused them of playing roles that provides cover to corrupt officials.

On the work of the EFCC, he said: "We are human, we are not perfect. We have made some mistakes but we are doing our best to stamp out corruption in Nigeria".

Lawyers at the workshop however denied collusion with corrupt officials with the NBA President, Olisa Agbakoba, saying that the association was determined to wear a new image, part of which is partnering with organisations like the EFCC.

The workshop which was tagged: "The EFCC Act and other Related Instruments: The Role of Lawyers" is aimed at identifying and defining the role of legal practitioners in the battle against corruption in Nigeria with regard to the administration of justice.

Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court who presented a paper on "The Role and Duties of Lawyers", said that lawyers had a historic responsibility to fight corruption and uphold justice.