By Vera Chinonso Aliyu, YeyeNews.com, October 31, 2021
A top Nigerian politician being prosecuted by the EFCC for corruption-related charges has been appointed as the chairman of a presidential committee charged with instituting anti corruption measures in government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The politician who recently defected to the ruling APC is believed to enjoy the protection of an influential minister in the government, a source told YeyeNews.com reporter.
Other sources in the EFCC said the commission is frustrated by the overbearing influence of powerful officials in the corridor of power. “In a case like this where the commission had expended enormous resources to gather enough evidence to begin prosecution against the politician and somebody just suddenly appointment the same individual into a committee to mitigate corruption is very depressing for our agents. It sends a wrong signal”, a source in the EFCC said.
Another source wondered why the politician was appointment knowing he has a corruption case with the EFCC. “This kind of appointment is a direct affront on the effort of our agents. We believe there are other better qualified persons for the position but some individuals just want to tell the nation that they are above the law and any standard of decency that society demands. The much talked about anti corruption war seems to have derailed”.
An aide of the immediate past chairman of the EFCC also accused the influential minister in the administration of masterminding the removal the past chairman because he refused to drop the case of corruption against the politician. “The former chairman was asked by a top minister to withdraw the case against the politician but he declined. That was the beginning of the troubles that eventually led to his controversial sack. The truth is that there is no anti corruption fight going on anywhere. What we have is more like a corrupt tangle that involves every important MDA. Unfortunately there is no one to check them as even the president has since abandoned State functions to these people”.
