Ola Ajayi
22 October 2008
CHAIRMAN, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (retd), has said unless Nigerians have concrete evidence against the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the commission cannot prosecute him.
Justice Ayoola, who spoke through Mrs. Dame-Julie Nwariaku, the Executive member of the commission, said ICPC, inasmuch as it would use all known means to stamp out corrupt tendencies, it would still act within the purview of the law, adding that the anti-graft agency would not act on rumour.
Nwariaku spoke with newsmen after presenting a paper on behalf of ICPC chairman at a workshop organised by the office of the Head of Service in collaboration with ICPC for members of the anti-corruption and transparency units.
"I know the impatience Nigerians are having to get corrupt officials prosecuted, but we can't prosecute everybody. Let us quit this finger printing but consider our attitudes. We must be right examples," she said.
The commission urged Nigerians not to blame the international community for the bad perception it has about the country. The country, she argued needed internal cleansing for the war against corruption to record any success.
According to ICPC, "Corruption within the public service is widespread and involves common occurrences of delayed files, making wrong claims, favouritism, truancy, outright demand of bribes and other illegal acts."
Available reports indicate that the public funds are commonly disbursed frivolously for personal gains. In some cases, fictitious contracts are awarded just to siphon funds from votes. These practices are carried out brazenly and with impunity," he said.
On the petition forwarded to the commission against the Oyo State Principal Transport Officer (Technical), Mr. James Opalola and a driver attached to the Commissioner for Lands and Housing for alleged theft of automotive gas oil (diesel) worth N660 million, she vowed that it would not be swept under the carpet.
The two government officials were alleged to have got the diesel from the government on the pretext that the late Ibadan popular politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, needed it to refill a giant generator at his Molete residence before he died.
The twosome in collusion with some other drivers were alleged to have been stealing 500 litres of the oil per day before they were arrested by the Pipeline Vandalisation Task Force at Agodi, Ibadan.
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