Abuja — Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday said though there is reason to celebrate Nigeria's 50th independence anniversary, Nigerians must come to terms with the reality that corruption is endemic in the country.
Chairman of the commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri who said this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja revealed that the 2011 general election will be a no go area for corrupt persons and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been requested to forward the list of all political parties to the anti-graft agency.
Farida, who insisted that the commission will screen candidates of all genuinely registered political parties for next year's election, said no amount of threats will dissuade the agency from carrying out its legal responsibilities.
She said: "We have requested for a list of all registered political parties, not portfolio parties, from INEC and we will assist them to identify those that are corrupt as that is part of my job to help prevent economic and financial crimes which is clearly stated in section 6 of the EFCC Act.
"We will not compile any list as I do not have authority to do that. All we can do is to give the parties advice on the candidates they are fielding and work within the ambit of the Constitution; but they need not fear if they do not have skeletons in their pockets."
She justified the EFCC's bid to stop those being tried for any act of corruption from seeking elective positions in the 2011, stressing that the commission is empowered to take preventive measures.
Quoting section 6(f) of the EFCC Act dealing with "adoption of measures which include co-ordinating, preventive and regulatory actions; introductions and maintenance of investigated and control techniques on the prevention of economic and financial related crimes" and Section 6 (j) dealing with "collaborating with government bodies both within and outside Nigeria carrying on functions wholly or in part analogous with those of the commission", Waziri stressed that the EFCC was not breaking any law in this respect.
She said in keeping to the legality of ensuring that only credible people are allowed to contest election in 2011, she would not be deterred or scared by any threats.
"I'm not scared. We will do our job and ensure that we operate within the ambit of the law. Whatever anyone says or threatens to do does not matter at all. I can't be scared", she said.
She urged Nigerians to be steadfast and resolute in the fight against corrupt practices, stating that Nigeria's attainment of 50 years as an independent nation was a significant and epochal achievement.
Calling on Nigerians to enlist in the anti-graft war to place the nation in the comity of developed nations of the world, she said: "We have every reason to celebrate. I agree that at 50, the level of corruption is very high, it is endemic. Everybody has accepted that this country would have been greater, as great as the United States of America (USA), Great Britain or China but for corruption. This therefore poses a challenge to every Nigerian to join in the anti-corruption war to make Nigeria the nation of our dreams,"
Waziri admonished corrupt persons in Nigeria to have a re-think and embrace a new life of accountability, transparency and integrity, saying that corruption has drawn the nation back too tragically.
"Corruption has affected us too negatively. It is very destructive. Those who are corrupt should have a new focus. It is wrong to amass wealth at the expense of the people", she stressed.
On former governor of Ekiti state Ayodele Fayose's sealed properties, the anti-graft boss said: "We complied with the court order to the letter but I was alarmed when I discovered that the ex-governor was still using same properties. Our Lagos office was consulted and we had to act though the attorney-general had written but that was after consulting with Lagos.
"As at the time he declared his assets one of the lands was a virgin land which he completed through one of the contractors he used and he should know that I am not scared of being unseated as many people had sacked me more than a thousand times; some said I will not last three months but I have survived two years.
"By now people should know that there is an Almighty God somewhere despite all the cooked stories before authority God has been my amour and I will walk out taller."
On the Siemens scam, Waziri said: "All the major witnesses were sacked and we are trying our best to locate them but if we cannot we will declare them wanted."
On the Halliburton scam she said the "investigation is on-going and we are in constant consultation with the office of the attorney -general and the lawyers handling the case".
Waziri reiterated her call for the creation of special courts to try corruption cases, stressing that such courts would assist in clearing the backlog of cases awaiting resolution in courts across the country.
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MEND AND ABUJA BOMB BLAST: It is important for MEND to know that they are not the sole custodians of violence in Nigeria. If MEND truelly meant well for the Niger Delta people, why have they not embraced the amnesty program? The answer is simple; the MEND group is made up of satanic greedy lazy people who have tasted wealth and so refused to stop their evil acts of wickedness of killing innocent people. Is it not strange that former military President babaginda was the only one absent from the celebration ground and bombs went off twice? MEND has lost the struggle and sold out to greedy northern politician. My fellow Niger Deltans, i implore you to root out mend members from the creeks. Give information on their activities and report anyone suspected of being a member of this satanic cultist group called MEND who now represent their own pockets. By the Power of God Almighty MEND's members' relatives including that of Okah no matter where they are hidden will pay for the lives of people lost today at Eagle Square!
Thank you my fellow Nigerian. This so-called MEND Satans cannot turn Nigeria into Iraq or other lawless countries where things/people are blown up. Car bomb in our capital city. GOD FORBID. The President should cease this opportunity to end the amnesty program and show these criminals PERPER. This is nothing but a declaration of war, and the President should not take it lightly. All these talks about amnesty is simply encouraging criminals who want more money in their pockets. I have mentioned in previous articles that a state of emergency has to be declared in some of these lawless areas to flush the criminals out and house them in prisons where they belong. Enough of this Amnesty talks... The Govt. should generally work with Niger-Delta area Governors and improve things in the area.
it was sad that we lost lives and properties,any group that commited this atrocities must surely face the music sooner or later,but let me just ask,fellow Nigerians what are we celebrating??????50 yrs,independent or 50 days?please sorry for my question because am still confuse,we have nothing to celebrate,Giant of africa just for mouth,had it been that this bomb blast hit center of all this evil dowers that called themselfs leaders of nigeria both current and past i could have been rejoicing but it was unfortunate that the people suffer this was innocent people,MEND if realy that the cause is from u people i am realy disapointed because u miss the target instead of the fat stomach leaders it happens to the poors,please and please next target make sure u people get it right than wasting innocent lives,everyone in nigeria is behind u people,ur fighting for ur right good,supported,Britain are no more ruling nigeria but still they are still taking over our economies due to our bad leaders,US and europeans including our useless leaders is source of our main problem today,but i believe in times to come all must surely vomit it in one way or the other,outside media broadcasting of corruption in nigeria but still they are allowing our useless leaders to come and dump our money in there land,all there falling account is full of billions while poor masses cant even eat a day bread,upon our national cake that belong to each one of us,Nigeria shame to you,go to overseas and look at nigerian girls working as prostitutes in the streets,while boys are doing illegal bussineses and dirty jobs,giant of africa for mouth,upon all our resources,wealth still we are nobody in presence of falliners,we are refuges in abroad,in our own fathersland we are refuge too,O GOD please kindly help us,look at our embassies in abroad no one is recognize as patriotic due to bad image that sorrounded us,we respect White people in our own countryyyyyyy but kindly travel out of nigeria and see how they will use u like a rag,even some of african nations called us nothing,giant of africa shame on u,whites will come inn and stole freely without any distubance or interuption but travel to there own county and steal let me see if u will escape it,we realy have more to learn b4 celebrating useless and stupid independent,more fatal incident is on the way coming sooner or later if we can not fix our problem withing us and denounce GB,US.westerners or forginers they are also our main source of problem and conflict sorrounding us.i pray that God should guide us in this coming election without shedding and shedding of bloods,Go to white man countries hardly u see them on there election campagn killing and shedding blood like our every day activities,Nigerians wake uppppppp,a word is for a wise,THX,may GOD bless u all,