Kogi: 10 Anti-Corruption CSOs Join Agbakoba To Tackle EFCC

Frontline anti-corruption activists have risen strongly in support of the position of a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, against what they described as politicisation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC especially as concerning actions towards Kogi State.

The activists, who are leaders of various frontline anti-corruption organisations, including Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, Centre for Public Accountability, Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, Africa Labour Research Centre, and Secureworld and Liberty Initiative for Peace, among others, specifically called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the EFCC to order and move to save the image of the Government as regards its commitment to an unbiased war against corruption.

Singling out what they described as an unending persecution of the Kogi State Government, the activists said the EFCC’s job was not tidy as it had given a loud impression that there was a political axe to grind with the State beyond the mandate of the Commission.

Those who signed the statement on behalf of their various organisations included: Executive Chairman, Centre For Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, Debo Adeniran; Chairman, Secureworld and Liberty Initiative for Peace and Co-National Spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Comrade Mark Adebayo; Executive Director, Africa Labour Research Centre, Biodun Sowunmi; Executive Director, Centre For Public Accountability, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, and a legal practitioner, Barr. Emeka Igwe.

Other signatories were: Comrade Toyin Raheem, Chairman, Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, CACOBAG; Comrade Akinbiyi Omoleye, Secretary, Zero Corruption Movement, ZECOM; and Comrade Ishola Adeshina, Kill Corruption Coalition, among others.

In a statement, jointly signed by them and titled, “EFCC Must Stop Acting Like a Compromised Political Tool”, the activists insisted that there were numerous instances where the Commission had shown itself to be outrageously selective in its investigations, arrests and prosecutions.

They said, “We unequivocally stand with Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, in his observations and call on the EFCC to review its operational methods in a way that will not compromise its founding principle.

“It must eschew every manner of political patronage and manipulation, which are bound to destroy its public perception locally and internationally. The Kogi issue that Dr. Agbakoba, SAN, alluded to is one case too many. There is a strong suspicion that EFCC has a particular interest to cause chaos in Kogi State by its unnecessary and reprehensible fixation on the state and its affairs.”

“We call on the EFCC to shed its political toga and concentrate on its constitutional mandate of fighting corruption and leave politics to politicians. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the EFCC to order before it destroys the impressive achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari in the area of fighting corruption, which is acknowledged as unprecedented even by his most vehement critics,” the CSOs said in adding their voice to that of Agbakoba in his flay of the conduct of the EFCC towards the Kogi State authorities.

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