Friday, July 08, 2005

Akanbi: Govs Paying Lip Service to Anti-graft War Akanbi: Govs Paying Lip Service to Anti-graft War From Donald Andoor in Abuja, 07.07.2005 Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Muhammed Akanbi, yesterday said most of the state governors and many members of the Federal Executive Council were merely paying lip-service to the anti-graft campaign of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Akanbi, who was exchanging views with the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office, explained how he was being frustrated to prosecute the anti-corruption war. He said most of the top government officials have been exerting so much pressure on him to drop charges of corruption against those accused of corruption. He told his guests how a former minister went to his house to persuade him not to take some people accused of corruption to court, adding that “these are Mr. President’s men who are supposed to be supporting him in the campaign.” The retired President of the Court of Appeal re! gretted the stance of most of the governors on the anti-corruption war as “most of them have not shown any interest.” In spite of their stance, he said, he has personally written to all the 36 state governors on the need to partner with ICPC “but only four have replied the commission.” He recalled that when some legislators took ICPC to court in 2003, only the four governors showed sympathy for the commission as he particularly expressed apreciation to Madukwe for standing out among the crowd to support the war against corruption. He decried the attitude of most of the top government officials who are supposed to be in the forefront of fighting corruption in tune with the president’s desire but vowed he would not relent in his efforts. “If you are bad, I say it. If I can’t say it, I wisper it, and if a can’t, I hate it in my mind,” he said. He warned public servents who are out to make money at the government expense to resign and go into business instead of go! ing about the government business in a non challant attitude. Earli er, PDP National Secretary said his visit was to rejoice with the commission for its wonderful performance in prosecuting the anti-corruption war which has culminated in the debt relief for Nigeria from the Paris Club. 8:04:37 PM    comment []