17th October, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has hailed the effort of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at bringing the corrupt politicians to book.
This came on the heels of the arrest and quizzing of the past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godwill Akpabio by the Commission on Friday.
Akpabio was quizzed in respect of a petition written against him by an Abuja-Lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong and some indigenes of Akwa Ibom State.
The petitions border on the misappropriation of state resources while he held sway as governor of the state. The Senate’s minority leader was alleged of misappropriating N108.1billion of Akwa Ibom funds plunging the state into huge indebtedness.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran described Akpabio’s arrest as another step in the right direction in the war against corruption in Nigeria and commended the EFCC for their effort so far on the case.
He said, “Akpabio’s arrest is a further reassurance that the President Mohammadu Buhari means business at ensuring that no corruption criminal, no matter how highly-placed or influential, go unpunished.
“Many of the past public office holders who thought they have successfully bamboozled the people they pretended they served by presenting fake, over bloated and over-priced projects should begin to count their days as free men and women.
“However, the authorities should not make these arrests mere window dressing where the ritual ‘arrest, arraign and release’ for political reasons will re-enact,” he said.
Adeniran also urged the Buhari’s regime to treat anyone with corruption petitions with all seriousness as suspicion or charges against them should not go scot-free without due diligence investigations and prosecution for reasons of political expediency.
“We’re aware that many of the recently announced ministerial nominees have a lot of corruption questions to answer; as a matter of fact, the defence some of them put up during their screening turned out to be self-indictment of corruption allegations against them.
“Since nepotism is a form of corruption; that someone belongs to the ruling party, is a legislator or a minister should not be misconstrued as immunity against prosecution. Such people should not be allowed to occupy any public office till they satisfactorily answer the charges against them lest they constitute a dent on its anti-corruption image,” he said.
Adeniran said his organisation promised to be partner in progress with the regime for as long as it continued to take open, transparent, accountable and participatory governance that left trails for probity seriously.