News
Day 4: Over 120 CSOs petition National Assembly, insist EFCC boss must leave office, serve his prison term
. Say ‘Nigerians know hired CSOs when they see them’
The protests by over 100 frontline Anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations, against alleged “Politicisation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Disobedience of Court Orders and Infringement on Human Rights of Nigerians”, continued on Tuesday, as the activists vowed never to be intimidated by what they described as fresh falsehood being peddled by the anti-graft agency.
The protesters, who marched through the streets of Ikeja and converged on the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, noted that the majority of Nigerians were intelligent people, who could easily differentiate between a genuine cause and sponsored ones, adding that there was no going back on the call for the removal of the EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
The activists alleged that the EFCC had resorted to cheap blackmail to divert the thinking of the public away from its lawlessness, pointing out that this had only compounded the Commission’s problems and further exposed the dangerous political agenda of its Chairman.
The CSOs said they had uncovered plans by Bawa and his alleged sponsors to raise supposed CSOs, who they would back with live coverage, to demonstrate “fake solidarity for an EFCC boss that had clearly become an embarrassment to Nigeria.”
“We are waiting for them. We don’t expect them to fold their arms. But no amount of falsehood can cover the truth. Bawa came in through vendetta and he is unleashing the same on perceived opponents of his godfathers. We have seen that Ibrahim Magu was bundled out with lies so that Bawa’s godfathers can reign with impunity. The fixation on specific cases is glaring to informed Nigerians,” Director, Activists for Good Governance, Declan Ihehaire, said.
“We have been on this struggle for close to a week now. All what we want is for Bawa to leave that office so the Commission can be sanitised. He is clearly unfit to head EFCC. He that comes into equity must come with clean hands,” he maintained.
According to him, there are God-fearing EFCC officials that are in solidarity with the CSOs, “who have said they are tired of being used as witch-hunting agents, and are praying for the success of the struggle.”
Spokesperson for the Transparency and Accountability Group, who spoke shortly after the protesters arrived at the Lagos Assembly, queried how Bawa, “who does not respect the rule of law or believe in fair hearing would say that he was not given fair hearing before the contempt ruling.”
He said, “What we are agitating against is his disobedience of the courts and the brazen politicisation of the EFCC. The IGP should immediately effect his arrest in line with the court ruling.
“Before Bawa can appeal against a court order sending him to prison, he must obey the order first. This is settled in law. Recently, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, directed ASUU to first comply with an order of the National Industrial Court ( NIC) directing them to suspend their strike before their appeal could be heard.
“Also, just last week, the EFCC itself arrested Senator Nwabaoshi for refusing to go to prison after he was sent there by the Federal High Court. This is despite his appeal against his sentence.”
“Appeal or no appeal, Bawa must report to Kuje prison. His appeal can’t be heard until he complies with the valid court ruling sending him to prison,” he insisted.
He disclosed that the CSO leaders were at the Lagos State House of Assembly to submit a petition on Bawa’s disobedience of court orders and the politicisation of the EFCC to the National Assembly through the Speaker of the state Assembly.
“All we are telling him is obey our courts, let us preserve the integrity of our legal system. If the Head of a frontline anti-corruption agency is being manipulated and controlled by a few people in the political space, and he is breaking the law with impunity, it portends danger for our Democratic system and the wellbeing of the society at large,” Funmilayo Jolade Ajayi, of the Community Women Initative, added.
The Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, had said,
“A situation whereby somebody is so powerful, somebody is so influential, somebody sees that he has a larger than life image and decides that he is not going to respect our law courts or the laws of the land, it is against the rule of natural justice, it is against the ethos of democratic practice, it is against the principles of human rights.
“So, definitely, a serial violator of court order is not fit to be the Head of an agency that is supposed to sanitise the society.”
The ‘Bawa Must Go’ protests are being led by CACOL Chairman, Debo Adeniran; Executive Director, Zero Graft Centre, Kolawole Sanchez-Jude; Chairman, Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, Toyin Raheem; Executive Director, Centre for Public Accountability, Olufemi Lawson; Spokesperson for the Transparency and Accountability Group, Ayodeji Ologun; Director, Activists for Good Governance, Declan Ihehaire; and Ahmed Balogun of Media Rights Concern, among over 100 notable leaders of Anti-corruption CSOs.
News
Ochei to Ika’s Intellectual Community: Character, Competence and Capacity Must Determine Delta North’s Next Senator
– Team Ochei
Rt. Hon. (Engr.) Victor Ochei, Esq., FNSE, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial candidate for Delta North, yesterday told members of Opposition Gate in Agbor that his aspiration is anchored on three fundamental pillars, namely, Character, Competence and Capacity.
Addressing the Agbor-based sociopolitical group, comprising lecturers, academics, professionals and businesspeople, Ochei, who was accompanied by the NDC candidate for Ika South State Constituency, Mrs Ogor Tony-Obuh, the Delta North Senatorial Chairman, Hon. Aaron Udoka Ebenuwa, and Director-General of his Campaign Council Hon Gift Okwuolise Ph.D, framed the 2027 senatorial contest as one that should be determined by personal merit, performance and the value candidates can deliver.
“Character, Competence and Capacity are the true measures,” Ochei declared. “Every contestant is seeking to be hired by the people, and the people must hire on results, not on chants inspired by patronage.”
The former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly cited his legislative experience and engineering background as key strengths, arguing that his record of institutional leadership distinguishes his candidacy.
He also recalled his 2003 election, when, according to him, he contested on the platform of a relatively unknown party and defeated the then Majority Leader of the House. “I have never been an establishment candidate,” he said, describing independent-minded leadership as essential for Delta North’s representation in the Senate.
On governance and infrastructure, Ochei urged the audience to assess political leadership by tangible outcomes rather than slogans. Drawing on his engineering background, he said roads and other public infrastructure should be judged by their quality and durability. “As an engineer, the minimum a newly constructed road should last is 10 years,” he stated. He criticised what he described as the poor state of roads in Agbor and questioned the development outcomes associated with years of political influence in the area. Ochei maintained that decades of political patronage should be evaluated by the development attracted, institutions strengthened and lasting systems established.
Ochei also presented the NDC as a platform for advancing what the party describes as a New Nigeria, pointing to the appeal of its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and his emphasis on prudence and responsible management of public resources.
“Peter Obi inspires real affection from the people, and his promise of prudence, cautious expenditure of government resources and homegrown solutions, is exactly what Nigeria needs today,” he said.
He further highlighted the Reset Proposal of the NDC’s Delta State governorship candidate, Deacon Chris Iyovwaye, expressing confidence in Iyovwaye’s exposure and capacity to pursue industrial development, job creation and broader economic opportunities across the state.
He hailed Iyovwaye’s impact in the engineering logistics sector and his successful partnerships with Dangote Industries and other multinational organisations, insisting that such exposures have placed him as a superior material today.
Concluding his address, Ochei urged the gathering to believe in the possibility of a New Nigeria and support efforts to translate that vision into reality.
“We must believe in the possibility of a New Nigeria and be ready to do all it takes to make it real,” he said. “Character, Competence and Capacity, that is the superiority of this senatorial aspiration.”
-
Featured7 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured7 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured7 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured7 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured5 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Featured7 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
-
Sports4 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News2 years agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
