STATEMENT BY THE ALLIANCE FOR CREDIBLE ELECTIONS ON THE REMOVAL OF MRS. FARIDA WAZIRI AS CHAIRPERSON OF NIGERIA'S ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION

THE CHICKEN HAS COME TO ROOST: REACTION OF ACE-NIGERIA TO THE SACK OF MRS. WAZIRIFARIDA AS EFCC CHAIRPERSON

The sack of Mrs. Farida Waziri,though belated, did not come as a surprise to so many Nigerians given theslumber that had enveloped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) underher watch. It is quite unfortunate that Nigerians are beginning to get used toanti-corruption agencies becoming consumed by allegations of corruption and criminalconnivance. Nevertheless, the sack of Mrs. Waziri is hardly a proof of thecommitment of the present administration to fighting corruption to a standstill.Furthermore, beyond the sack of Mrs. Waziri, there is an acute need for theanti-corruption war to go down to the roots. At the root of financial andeconomic corruption in Nigeria is political corruption. The overwhelming amountof slush funds used in prosecuting election battles in Nigeria is not only undemocraticbut also publicly offensive. Most times, political parties and their candidatesspend more than what the law permits while prosecuting election campaigns. The2011 election was not immune to this ugly trend. Till date, no singular person orpolitical party has been brought to justice for this. The same goes for unscrupulouspoliticians who deploy the force of violence and all manner of electoralbrigandage to gain access to public office.

It is only common knowledgethat that no politically corrupt public office holder would have the sinew tomobilize the needed political will to wholeheartedly confront corruption, abstainfrom corruption and inspire those around him or her to keep away from corruptpractices and corrupt persons. This is the real bane of the anti-corruption warin Nigeria. Therefore, it is the view of ACE-NIGERIA that any serious attempt ateliminating financial and economic corruption in Nigeria must first take into cognizancethe need to stamp out political corruption.

This call becomes even morecritical given remote experiences and recent confessions by terrorists groupson their relationship with politically exposed persons and the destructive rolethat illegally acquired funds play during electioneering cycles in Nigeria. Whilewe await the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission, the challengebefore the current leadership of the EFCC, and by extension the government, isto uproot corruption at the roots by decisively dealing with politicalcorruption in Nigeria.

May God bless Nigeria

Comrade Echezona Asuzu

Deputy General Secretary

Alliance for Credible Elections(ACE-NIGERIA)