Anti-Graft War: Probe Buhari’s Cabinet – Matawalle Dares EFCC
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – With just days to the May 29 terminal point of President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years tenure, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after Presidency officials and members of the outgoing Federal Executive Council (FEC) in the true spirit of fighting corruption in the country.
For the Zamfara Chief Executive, by calling the Buhari men of eight years to account for their activities, the anti-graft agency would avoid being selective and politicising its so-called investigations in the war against corruption
The Governor, who was reacting to a statement credited to the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, that the Commission has sent invitations to all outgoing governors and commissioners in a bid to commence investigations into their activities while in office, said such a probe should be holistic.
He said aside from outgoing governors and their commissioners, those working at the Presidential Villa should also give an account of their stewardship and anyone found culpable in corrupt practices should be readily brought to justice.
The Governor said in a statement thus; “My attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Malam Abdulrasheed Bawa, in which he claimed he has sent invitations to all outgoing Governors and Commissioners in a bid to commence investigation into alleged corruption and abuse of office perpetrated by them while in office.
“While this is appropriate and commendable because it’s important for political office holders to account for their actions in office and EFCC is imbued with the power of investigation, however, this power must be exercised judiciously.
“The investigation must be holistic and not selective. It is in this respect that the recent invitations and pronouncements by the EFCC Chair are imbalanced, incomplete, hypocritical, and unnecessarily skewed.
“This is counterproductive to the anti-corruption crusade itself, that is if Malam Bawa is actually committed to one. In a bid to help the obvious knowledge gap and inertia exhibited by the EFCC Chair, the probe should be all-embracing and cover all officers.
“I demand that the EFCC chair extend similar invitations to officers of the Presidency and members of the Federal Executive Council, which is the highest tier of government in the country.
“As I and some eminent Nigerians have evidence of corrupt practices, breach of public trust, and abuse of office against him and the commission led by him.
“He should explain, for instance, how he has assumed the role of the plaintiff, prosecutor, and jury and how he has executed his brand of plea bargaining with suspected criminals and saboteurs of the Nigerian economy and agenda who instead of being put on trial, are walking freely all over Nigeria.
“It is when the EFCC Chair does this and becomes open, non-selective and all-embracing with his invitation, that will we take him seriously. It is only then will serious-minded officers who have served the people selflessly and meritoriously and are not opposed to an examination of their books, and indeed Nigerians generally take him seriously.
“Without this, it is just a case of another person in government who has some explaining to do himself over allegations of corruption, high-handedness, and abuse of office now asking others to account, by so doing, merely giving Nigerians comic relief from the present challenging times they are experiencing.”
