The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has hailed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the recovery of N650m from a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory Jumoke Akinjide, currently standing trial before a Federal High court in Lagos.
This was contained in a press release signed by its Media Coordinator, Adegboyega Otunuga. The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran recalled that: “Akinjide was arraigned at a Federal High court in Lagos, alongside a People’s Democratic Party leader in Oyo state, Chief Olanrewaju Otti, a former Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial district, Ayo Adeseun, and a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is said to be at large.
“With the slush fund of N650m ostensibly doled out to PDP stalwarts for the 2015 elections and which they whimsically shared amongst themselves as part of their loot, it is clear why poverty virtually walks on all fours in Nigeria. Today, Nigeria has been officially declared as the country with the highest number of extremely poor people in the world with as many as 85 million citizens living below poverty line even when India has a population of over one billion people. All these negative statistics about Nigeria emanated largely due an entrenched culture of corruption which successive governments in Nigeria have made their stock-in-trade over time. It is pertinent to state that, Nigeria-which is one of the most naturally endowed nations in the world-, has become a metaphor for poverty in the entire global community.
“This is why at CACOL, we remain convinced that the only way through which poverty and its attendant deluge of frustration could depart our shores is for corruption to be treated as a major plague which should never be allowed an inch. Incidentally, President Buhari’s government seems to be more transparent with a clear commitment in this fight than all its predecessors since the Yar’adua short lived administration. This could be gleaned from the intensity with which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its sister anti-Corruption body, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have wrestled with this scourge so far. We therefore reaffirm our support and confidence in the Anti-Corruption efforts of EFCC and ICPC and enjoin them to ensure that all the recovered loot and proceeds of corruption are properly accounted for while investigation, prosecution and recovery of our stolen wealth is intensified with the culprits eventually made to face the full wrath of the law as a means of extirpating the evil of corruption from our land.”
Adegboyega Otunuga
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
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