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Ministerial
screening:Fresh fears
over
anti-graft war as Adoke advocates merger of EFCC and ICPC
Newsdiaryonline 30-06-11
The last may not have been heard over the tug-of-war between the
office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. While appearing
before Nigeria’s senate for screening as one of President
Goodluck Jonathan’s ministerial nominees today, Mohammed Bello
Adoke the immediate past minister of Justice and the
attorney-general of the federation resurrected the call for the
merger of EFCC and ICPC .They two have antigraftt agencies have
hitherto investigated and
tried suspects independently.
But the ‘activist’ nature of EFCC which
began under the leadership of Nuhu Ribadu has ensured the
prosecution of high profile citizens including former state
governors .The EFCC under Farida Waziri prosecuted and jailed
PDP chieftain Bode George much to the chagrin of some.
The apparent attempt to tame or merge the
EFCC with the ICPC began during the reign of Michael Aondoakaa a
former minister of justice who reportedly seized case files on
the trial of ex governors The fact that Adoke has reignited this
issue today during his screening by the senate may be an
indication that still some
top notchers of government are seek to rein in the anti graft
war which began with the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency. How the
antigraft war will
proceed henceforth is bound to be monitored closely .Bu an
official in one of the agencies which Adoke seeks to merge told
Newsdiaryonline
this afternoon they wish to stay
out of this controversy. `Leave us out’ the anti graft
official said when contacted for
comments.The argument has always been that merger would
consolidate the anti graft war.
But experience has shown that the EFCC has
been more ‘dynamic’-in spite of its shortcomings in giving
corrupt officials a bloody nose much to the discomfiture
of those in government .There are people
of late even
advocating the scrapping
EFCC in what appears
like the most extreme frustration
over the
unease created by the
anti-graft war despite imperfections
of the agency.
While addressing senators too, Adoke said
there was inadequate evidence to prosecute past leaders over the
Halliburton scandal.The former minister of Justice also
dispelled insinuations that he used his position to withdraw
cases against high profile suspects.
Labaran Maku ,Dr. Shamsudeen Usman,Zainab
Maina and Mrs Stella were
also screened today.On Wednesday
Diezani Allison Madueke and Professor Ruqayat Rufai
among others scaled
through the senate screening. The way the senate is
uncritically confirming
ex ministers with serious questions to answer gives the
impression that despite claims to the contrary,it may well
be business as usual in
Nigeria as the senate appears like a predictable rubber stamp of
President Jonathan’s wish.
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