25th December, 2023
A group, Citizen Participation Against Corruption Initiative (CPACI), has lauded President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption in the country.
CPAIC Executive Director, Mr Bishir Dauda told the journalists on Sunday in Katsina, that the president had demonstrated serious commitment to fight corruption in the country.
He said: “We commend the President for mustering courage to fight corruption, especially by directing the historic probe of Mr Godwin Emefiele, the sacked governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“Also worthy of commendation is Mr Jim Obazee, the special investigator who has done an excellent job without fear or favour.
“As a civil society organisation, we can’t keep silent or take a neutral stand in the face of this mind-boggling corruption scandal.
“We, therefore, wholeheartedly agree with Mr Bayo Onanuga, and other well meaning and patriotic Nigerians, including development partners and international community, that corrupt Nigerians must not get away with the monumental allegations of illegalities leveled against him”.
According to him, Nigerians cannot simply forget how CBN then haphazardly implemented the ‘Naira Redesign Policy’.
Dauda further said that the policy did not only aggravate the suffering of Nigerian citizens where people started sleeping on ATM queues to the extent that riots broke out in some states, but characterised by lack of transparency and accountability.
“After reading the Obazee report, we are dumbfounded to learn that Emefiele did not even get the approval of the then President Muhammad Buhari or recommendation by the board of CBN, as provided in Section 19 subsection (1) of the CBN Act 2007.
“Yet, he went ahead and implemented a policy that sabotaged Nigeria.
“Another major reason why Emefiele and his accomplices must be prosecuted, is the way and manner they fleeced Nigeria in the name of Ways and Means financing.
“Based on the Obazee report, Emefiele could not account for N17.369 trillion,” he alleged.
According to him, many Nigerians are losing hope in the fight against corruption because there are many reports on corrupt scandals in the country, but nothing has been done to bring the perpetrators to book.
He said that Nigerians expect the government of President Tinubu to show the difference in the fight against corruption.
Bishir urged Tinubu to be courageous to allow for unfettered investigation and bring whoever is involved or responsible to book.
“We cannot continue going after scapegoats and shielding the big masquerades behind their action.
“Recently Brazil, and nearby Mauritania have set an example on how to deal with those who provided the leadership cover for corruption like what happened in this case under probe.”
He further urged judges and lawyers not to allow themselves to be used to shortchange the course of justice.
(NAN)
