A two-term governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, on Sunday, said that he has forgiven all those behind the petition written against him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged mismanagement and abuse of office.
Daniel who administered the state between 2003 to 2011 was arraigned before Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje, of the State High Court, Isabo, Abeokuta, on the 12th of October 2011, on 43 counts charge.
He was later re-arraigned on April 16th, 2012, on 38 count charge before the same court, for allegedly stealing and mismanaging N211.3 million, as the court had dismissed the earlier case over the failure of EFCC to seek leave of court to amend the information it had presented.
The former governor in an interview with journalists at the maiden choir festival and special thanksgiving, held at Abraham’s Tabernacle, (Baptist International Worship Centre), Sagamu, said he was grateful to God and the Judiciary for vindicating all the charges levelled against him.
Daniel said, “To be honest with you, what can I do? I have forgiven them without an exception. In fact today, most of them are now my friends.”
It would be recalled that an Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan, some weeks back, throw out the corruption trial on the ground that the former governor had no case to answer.
This development put an end to the 11-year litigation of the matter against Daniel.
The former governor lauded the Nigerian judiciary for doing its best, despite the numerous challenges confronting it, while dedicating the victory to the judiciary.
“Let me end this thanksgiving by saluting the judiciary. I have a strong belief that the judiciary being the last chance of a common man is the only succour that our country continues to have.
“I am praising the judiciary today that, despite the challenges they have, the difficulties they have encountered because it is not easy to decide who is wrong or who is right in our country, but for the judiciary to stand and decipher and come to the kind of judgment they gave, I want to dedicate this victory to them. They failed to succumb to pressure,” the former governor added.
In his short exhortation, the Retired Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr Sunday Ola Makinde congratulated Daniel for his triumph over the trial.
Makinde, however, implored Christians to always imbibe the habit of praises and thanksgiving to God, at all times.