Let’s Back EFCC To Succeed – Gov Fintiri
- Says anti-graft should not be scrapped
- Rejects FG’s warehousing of recovered funds from States
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri has canvassed support for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), insisting that the anti-corruption Agency should not be scrapped.
According to him, despite the suspected inconsistencies trailing its existence and operations, what the Commission needs is to be strengthened for better efficiency and effective service delivery
Governor Fintiri spoke against the backdrop of a suit filed by 16 state governors at the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the laws that established the EFCC.
Appearing on Channels Television‘s programme, ‘Hard Copy‘ on Friday, the Governor said; “For me, it is not the right time to abolish the EFCC, whether it was established rightly or wrongly.
“We need to make it work better. We need to remove the politics that sometimes leads to claims of witch-hunting.”
Asked the Adamawa state’s position on the suit filed by his colleagues before the apex Court, the governor said a decision to join the case would only be taken after holding discussions and reviewing the situation with the Attorney General of the State.
His support for the anti-corruption Agency notwithstanding, the Adamawa Governor frowned at the Federal Government’s attitude of always taking custody and commandeering funds seized from resources misappropriated and embezzled at State levels, describing the development as “a completely wrong practice.”
Further expressing his misgivings about the practice, Governor Fintiri said it is totally wrong for the Federal Government to take possession of such recovered funds instead of giving custody to the affected State or States.
“I heard the Attorney General of Oyo State complaining after a court session that, even though funds are shared among the three tiers of government, Federal, State, and Local, the Federal Government often oversteps by questioning how states and local governments spend their money.
“Even when funds are appropriated, the Federal Government takes it into their treasury. I believe this practice should be discontinued”, the Adamawa Governor submitted.
