A leading anti-corruption organisation, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), has expressed concerns regarding the suspension of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa by President Bola Tinubu.
In a press statement endorsed by HEDA’s Chairman, Olarenwaju Suraju, the anti-corruption group stressed that Nigerians are still in the dark regarding the anti-corruption agenda of the new administration.
According to him, the circumstances surrounding past and current government officials, particularly those in public office who have been summoned by the EFCC, have not been adequately addressed.
He claimed that instead of investigating these matters, the government had chosen to suspend the EFCC chairman, signalling a lack of genuine interest in addressing corruption issues from both past and present administrations.
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Suraju further expressed concern over the consistent pattern observed when it comes to the EFCC chairman’s tenure, highlighting that no chairman has ever left the office in a dignified manner.
“It has become almost customary for new governments to undermine the commission, further hindering the fight against corruption,” he said.
The anti-corruption advocate warned that such actions send a negative message to the EFCC and other groups fighting against corruption.
HEDA called for a transparent and comprehensive approach to tackling corruption, urging the new administration to prioritise the investigation of past cases and ensure the stability and effectiveness of the EFCC in its mission to combat corruption.
