12072020 - Uzodinma, Ngige, Nnamani others meet, vow Igbo united front

njo
crisis
ams
out his reckless ‘boys’
ICPC
and EFCC
It is meaningless having the ICPC and EFCC as
different entities. They should be merged. It is also
important for us to have the Office of the Public
Defender. People have been telling the AGF about the
need for that. The Public Defender should be
independent of the AGF, who is the legal adviser to the
President. The Ministry of Justice should be headed
by a Solicitor-General. We should have a separate
prosecuting agency. They were trying to set up that
before. About 40 young lawyers were recruited for the
purpose and someone from abroad was brought to
train them on the prosecution of anti-corruption cases.
What happened to them? We should have a separate
Ministry of Justice, Public Defender and a separate
prosecuting agency. The police should stop
prosecuting people. It should be applicable to
criminal and anti-corruption cases. For the civil
service, they should have administrative tribunals.
That means that a law needs to be made by the NASS.
What the tribunal would do is this, if someone is giving
a bribe to a civil servant and takes a photograph of
the receiver, he can take it before the tribunal. The
administrative tribunal may not send the person to
jail, but it would make the person pay more than the
amount of money received as bribe. The Ministry
would also pay the whistleblower while the civil servant
is punished according to civil service rules. That will
reduce corruption to a large extent in the civil service.
Code of Conduct
Tribunal
Since 1999, Obasanjo created a wrong culture at
the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. There is a bill in
the NASS which has not been passed into law because
lawmakers are part of the problem. The bill says that
all disclosures must be published openly. But what the
law says now is that they can only be published at the
discretion of the NASS. The lawmakers have refused
to pass the bill which should have strengthened the
CCT. The tribunal should be like a court of law with
equal powers with the conventional court. Nigerians
KEY TAKEAWAYS
encourage the culture of corruption. Why
should people not question the source of wealth
of a Permanent Secretary who organises a
multi-million naira wedding for his daughter?
How much does he earn? Corruption is now
systemic and endemic in government agencies.
There are so many corruption stories today
that can’t be published owing
to interest. How can the NASS
justify the payment of salaries
to former Governor Joshua
Dariye who is serving a jail
term? If that is the case, who
would not like to be imprisoned
like that? This type of culture
makes the world to see us as
unserious people. That is why a
former British Prime Minister,
David Cameron, said we are
“fantastically corrupt”. Some
Nigerians felt bad, but it is true,
we are fantastically corrupt.
Four professions
If things are going to change,
four professions need to change.
First is the media. If Gen
Williams is a crook, it should
be stated that I am a crook
without fear. I shouldn’t be
painted to look like Pope
Francis if I am a crook.
Unfortunately, so many
journalists, who are out of job
create online sites where they
do public relations jobs and
write nonsensical stories. For instance, a former
Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust
Fund, NSITF, Ngozi Olejeme, who is being
investigated today, had the best publicity when
it was obvious that she was not doing well.
Nobody ever mentioned that this lady was not
doing well. How can one person own 47
houses? If it were in China, she would be
tortured before being shot. The funds she is
being accused of embezzling belong to workers
and their families. Lawyers are the second set
of people. Lawyers are judges, prosecutors,
defence counsel, legal draftsmen and they are
everywhere. They are the people who defend
the crooks. What we need in Nigeria is a law
that makes anyone guilty once he is caught.
The person now needs to prove that he is
innocent. That will help us to deal with endemic
corruption.
Don’t you think such a law could be
dictatorial and misapplied?
No. One of the allegations against Magu is
that he was asked to release seven billion naira
to someone after investigation, but he refused.
When you have a situation as we have in
Nigeria, something drastic is required. There
was a time someone was identified in Lagos as
an EFCC agent, who allegedly collects bribe
on behalf of the agency. It was reported by a
national daily but nothing was done. If such a
person is caught, what do you do? Are we going
to say that we would be waiting for the rule of
law before taking drastic action? In the kind
of situation that we have found ourselves, we
need new laws that would take care of the
desperate situation. After lawyers, accountants
come next because they know how to cook the
books. Accountants and auditors are part of
the corruption network. The last group
includes religious clerics, who do not speak
truth to the rich people who come to them. If
these groups I have mentioned genuinely
support the fight against corruption, Nigeria
would change for the better.
Police
The EFCC is wrongly structured. Its
recruitment method is also wrong. The same
applies to ICPC. In a paper I delivered during
the early years of EFCC, I told them to separate
the board from operational people. Ribadu
was made the Chairman of the board and I
told them it was wrong. I said he should just be
the Director-General while someone else is
made the head of the board. At the time, 70
percent of the members of staff were from the
police and I said it was wrong. I told them that
if I had my way, there shouldn’t be a single
policeman in the EFCC. I told them that every
position should be advertised. Some people
out there have knowledge of anti-corruption
work having studied related courses. They don’t
have to be policemen before working for the
EFCC.
Among the accusations against
Magu, he was said to have been unable
We all know
that the
President often
says “I am not
aware” when
some things go
wrong. If we are
in that kind of
situation,
something is
wrong
SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 12, 2020, PAGE 11
Okowa, aphenomenon
at 61
to give a proper account of seized
properties. Going forward, how can
the Commission have what can be
accepted as a transparent way of
disposing of seized properties?
They know what to do. In every country,
there is a law that states how to handle seized
assets. This is not the first
time that assets are being
seized in Nigeria. What we
have today shows that
nobody has been
questioning the EFCC. The
agency was just doing what
it liked. Somebody like the
AGF is supposed to be
supervising their activities.
That is why he was able to
write the memo he wrote,
claiming that Magu was
not doing the right thing.
For instance, if we had
Office of Public Defender
and a petition is written to
it, the Public Defender
would have been able to
question the EFCC all these
years. Unfortunately, they
make a lot of noise about
investigation after which
nothing happens. It is
saddening that anyone with
the ability to correct the
system is never appointed
the Chairman of EFCC.
The same thing applies to
Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC.
When you juxtapose the Magu case
with others that have been happening
in the anti-graft war in the last five
years, would you say appreciable
gains have been made?
It appears to me that the President wants to
leave a legacy as someone, who wants to
reduce corruption to the barest minimum in
Nigeria. To be able to do that, he needs to be
as strong as Obasanjo, but Obasanjo didn’t
fight corruption in his second term despite
the strong will he had. He could have
succeeded if he did. We have a President who
does not have the energy that Obasanjo had.
Fighting corruption requires intellect for any
leader to be able to follow all the issues.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of deficiencies
in that regard at the moment. Only a few
people are trusted to be able to convince the
President about many things. If not, there are
so many changes that could have taken place,
which could have helped to correct all the
anomalies going on. Sadly, it seems those
around him do not know about happenings.
We all know that the President often says “I
am not aware,” when some things go wrong.
If we are in that kind of situation, something
is wrong. Because of some of these
deficiencies I have pointed out, he may not
have known some of the things happening in
EFCC. It is not encouraging that we have
that kind of challenge at that level. We could
see that from the appointments being made.
The Federal Character Commission was
supposed to have been questioning the
appointments. But the reverse is the case.
However, we need to congratulate the Socio
Economic Rights and Accountability Project,
SERAP. The organisation deserves an award
for doing a good job in the fight against
corruption. The Centre for Social Justice in
Abuja is also doing well. They are taking
government to court on auditors’ reports. One
is hoping that the President can take the bold
step and make the structural changes that I
have suggested. The bill for disclosure of assets
should be passed into law.
The perception in some quarters is
that corruption is fighting back…
Corruption can never fight its own back.
How is corruption fighting back? The noise
about stepping on toes shouldn’t come in here
because many ex-Presidents have been sent
to jail in Latin American countries. I don’t
see the reason we can’t do that in Africa. South
Africa set a good example in that area. The
African National Congress, ANC, is supreme.
It has terminated the tenure of two Presidents
without allowing them to conclude their
tenure. They went to Mbeki and told him
that his time was up. When Zuma was being
accused of corruption, the party asked him
to step aside. Even if they don’t want to
prosecute a former President, all he
embezzled can be collected.
•Anti-corruption agency will continue to have leadership issues
•Magu probe, a plus for Buhari, minus for backer
ers
•EFCC chair should stop heading board of the Commission
•We need separate prosecuting agency
•Why policemen should cease working for agency
at 61— Onuesoke
P
eoples Democratic Party (PDP)
chieftain and former Delta State
Governorship candidate, Chief Sunny
Onuesoke expressed gratitude to Delta
State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa
as he added a new age to his life, describing
him as a phenomenal leader as he attains
61
Ȯnuesoke, in a statement made
available to our correspondent, said
Okowa’s activities since his birth revealed
a trait of a remarkable and extraordinary
person, with superior intellectual talents
and an outstanding qualities that have
paved the way for him as a leader.
He stated that at 61, Okowa had
displayed inherent leadership traits, sharp
mind, strong will and determination,
boundless energy, outstanding
organizational skills and especially,
willingness to take responsibility.
While wishing the governor a happy
birthday, long life and prosperity, as he
celebrates, the PDP chieftain highlighted
Okowa’s leadership history, which makes
him stand out.
According to him, “In 1991, Okowa
served as Secretary to Ika Local
Government Area, 1993, he became
Chairman Ika North East Local
Government Council, 1999 he served as
Commissioner for Agriculture and
Natural Resources, in 2001, he served as
Commissioner for Water Resources
Development and in 2003 he served as
Commissioner for Health.
Monarch
congratulates Okowa,
prays for his quick
recovery
By Jimitota Onoyume
vie-elect of Idjerhe Kingdom,
OEthiope West Local Government
Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty
Angos Agofure Omasoro, Uduvwie the 1st,
has congratulated Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa on his 61 st birthday anniversary,
praying God to grant him, his wife and
daughter quick recovery from the
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The monarch, who spoke in Jesse said
he was impressed with the success of the
Okowa-led administration, prayed to God
to make the governor finish very strong
“May God Almighty grant our performing
governor many more fruitful years. He has
been doing great since he came on board.
It is my fervent prayer that he will finish
strong. We are all proud of him,” he said
Continuing, he commended Okowa for
the vigorous way he had continued to fight
spread of the dreaded COVID - 19, saying
Deltas should comply with measures put
in place by the state government to curtail
spread of the virus.
“The state government has been very
committed in the fight against COVID –
19, as Deltans, our duty is to comply with
measures in place to achieve the target. I
pray for quick recovery of the governor
and members of his dear family”, he
prayed.
Kontrolla Debuts
With 'E Get Why'
I
t is not particularly unusual to see a
young lad make an entry into the Nigerian
music industry with all the buzz
that greets the coming of a new kid on the
block.
For Kontrolla, it is a case of being young,
being super talented, being smooth and
coming to the scene with an amazingly
cool, calm and collected character for his
age.
Making a foray into the music industry
on the stables of fast growing, global feel
record label- Cruz Nation, Kontrolla
brings to music a rich repertoire of life's
experiences and lessons of childhood; going
beyond jive and jamboree to actually
reel out life changing, turning point messages
in his songs, and of course a huge
dose of club bangers that keeps everyone
dancing.
Born Christopher Akhigbe on December
18th, 2000 in Jos Plateau State, Kontrolla
hails from Edo State and is the last in
a family of 3. He had his primary and secondary
education in Benin-City, Edo State
from where the passion for music took flight
in his heart.
As the world continues to relish good
music, we can only tell all and sundry to
brace up for the mind blowing music and
the unique blend of
the genres with
which the coming of
Kontrolla signals as
he Debuts his First
Official Single 'E
Get Why', Produced
by one of Nigerians
most talented beat
maker, Vybo (mixed
and mastered by
Sean Stan).