EFCC & The Invitation Of Rivers LGAs Chairmen BY Dr. BRIAN WILFRED | PORTHARCOUT, NIGERIA, | POSTED 0CT. 10, 2008 |
The Nigerian politics was initially, without doubt, becoming dangerous under Obasanjo-led administration. The Obasanjo was accused of using the EFCC to witch-hunt political rivals or foes. A lot of people, who were babes politically, hid their voices and were singing Hossanna in the highest for Obasanjo. But some, who were adults politically, spoke out and received their own shares of Obasanjo EFCC gifts, extended to them through the now crying Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who ones acted as the body’s German shepherd.
EFCC under Mrs. Florida Waziri, though seeking for direction, is without doubt, bent to work. Beside that a lot of people have brought the EFCC under Waziri to the altar of cruxification, the EFCC is now working than the formal noise it made under Ribadu. Ribadu was seeking for relevance and derailed or played the script more than his principal, Obasanjo, wrote it.
The summons by the EFCC of some Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State, as reported in many dailies, is a welcome development. The opposition party in the state, the Action Congress (AC), had been in the fore to police and check how the Chairmen spend government allocations to the LGAs. Those who were reportedly invited by the EFCC were the controversial Prince Precious Oforji – Oyigbo LGA chair, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini – Port Hacourt LGA Chair, Timothy Nsirim – Obi/Akpo LGA Chair, and Hon. Kerian Wobodo – Ikwerre LGA Chair.
Much as the Action Congress in the State under the leadership of Prince Tonye TJT Princewill abhors any form of graft that has become a thorn in the neck of many office holders in Nigeria, the party is in alliance and wish to encourage the EFCC to continue with the investigations on how our LGAs are run by the various council bosses. And it is our wish that the body throws its beam on other LGAs part from the aforementioned, irrespective of the party in the LGA.
AC is in conformity with the assertion credited to the chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Waziri is stoical to fight crime to a halt and make sure that files of many lying-low cases before the EFCC looked into by her predecessor – Mallam Ribadu – are looked into, without minding whose toe is stepped on.
The EFCC while carrying its duty should be sanctum without hoodwinking any person. Witch-hunting people were replete before Waziri assumed office. AC is desperate to seeing a Rivers State that is free from the ‘winner’ takes it all syndrome. Since the party was not mandated to arrest or invite any person for quiz, it can only help police various offices in our state saddled with the protection and development of our state.
AC wants to encourage the EFCC to continue with its investigations of official crimes, extended to other states in the Niger Delta. As so doing, the level of nursing financial crimes perpetrations by some individuals could be tamed.
Dr. Brian Wilfred is Special Assistant to Prince Tonye TJT Princewill, Leader Rivers AC and member Niger Delta Caretaker Committee.
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