Senate Presidency: Pressure mounts on APC to drop Akpabio as preferred choice
A coalition of civil societies, led by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reconsider its choice of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President in the 10th National Assembly. The coalition argued that appointing a perceived corrupt person to such a high position would undermine the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, NACAT’s Executive Director (Legal), Mr. Justice Ojefia, said: “Barely months after leaving office, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pounced on Senator Godswill Akpabio over allegations bothering on wanton looting of the Akwa-Ibom State Treasury.
“Stakeholders have embarked on a comprehensive investigation of the State Account between 2011-2015 and uncovered financial infractions and irregularities ranging from circumvention of procurement processes, suspicious payments of monies, possible money laundering, to award of contracts to non-existent companies.” The coalition questioned why the APC, which accused the previous PDP government of wasting 16 years of the nation’s development, would reward a former PDP-man like Akpabio with such a prominent position in government.
“How will the APC accuse the PDP government of wasting 16 years of our nationhood and still reward a PDP-man in Mr. Godswill Akpabio?
“How will Akpabio be allowed to preside over the same Senate when he accused the entire Senators as being behind the corruption in NDDC during the NDDC probe?
“Giving Akpabio Senate President mandate is to whittle down the fight against corruption as he will enact laws that will weaken the EFCC and ICPC since he has cases with them.
“The nation is dominant of three tribes, namely Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo. It is unfair to deny the Igbos the number three position in the land whether they bring votes or not, when they have ranking Senators of APC extraction who have not been tainted with corruption,” Mr. Ojefia added.
After the briefing, the coalition proceeded to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to submit details of fresh findings on the financial infractions and irregularities uncovered during their investigation of the Akwa-Ibom State Treasury.
Mr. Ojefia added, “We cannot sit back and watch corrupt individuals continue to plunder our national resources without consequences.
“The fight against corruption is a collective responsibility, and we will continue to do our part to ensure that those who engage in corrupt practices are brought to justice.”
He expressed hope that their findings would help the anti-graft agencies pursue a conclusive end to the corruption imbroglio of the State
