The Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative, yesterday lamented the slow pace at which the anti-corruption war is going on recently following the lack of substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Coalition however urged President Buhari to forward another name to the national assembly for confirmation as EFCC chairman, stressing that the delay is affecting the anti corruption war.
Addressing journalists on Sunday in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the Coalition Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi said there is urgent need to reinforce Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies, particularly the EFCC.
After highlighting some of the activities that have happened recently in the EFCC following the rejection of Ibrahim Magu by the Nigerian Senate as EFCC Chairman, Ogenyi said "we therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately send another nominee to the Senate for confirmation as chairman of the EFCC as the continued retention of Magu in Acting capacity after his rejection by the Senate is giving his anti corruption drive a very negative perception.
The Coalition further said that there is need to inject fresh blood into the anti-graft war to save Nigeria from total collapse.
"Authenticity or otherwise of the myriad of deafening allegations against Ibrahim Magu is not the focus at the moment. The core issue is that Nigeria is dying economically and must be saved now.
"The war against corruption must not be built around individuals but the EFCC as an institution. Individuals come and go but the Commission should remain strong.
"There is already a benchmark set by the EFCC and no person appointed by the President to head the institution will do less and gain the confidence of the Nigerian people.
"If Mr. President believes that Ibrahim Magu is the only person with the qualities of an anti-graft czar, that will be a mistake as there are hundreds of Ibrahim Magu within the Nigerian security forces, serving or retired, the Coalition added.
We wish to remind Mr. President that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act states under section 2(1)(a)(ii) that an EFCC chairman shall be "a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency".
Comrade Ogenyi further stated that Nigerians are suffering largely because their commonwealth have been looted and the looting has not stopped.
"We are worried that our generation and generations after us will wallow in abject poverty, not because Nigerians are lazy but because our resources meant infrastructure that will create enabling environment for a private sector driven economy are stollen by public officials. Enough of politics, Mr. President must prove that he is ready to walk the talk on war against corruption.
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