An international non-governmental organisation, ActionAid has criticised the appointment of Francis Ugochukwu Elechi as the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The organisation, in a statement by its country director in Nigeria, Hussaini Abdu, said the new ICPC chairman is well known to have connections with key political office holders, some of whom it said the commission at some point may have to investigate. “The main problem of the commission since inception is leadership,” Mr Abdu said. “The challenge has never been with the rank and file of the commission or its agents, but with the type of leadership which has no vibrancy and has always carried some baggage that weighs it down. “It is inappropriate to appoint a politician as the head of the ICPC. It is a well known fact that Mr Elechi is close to a state governor and had played some strategic role in the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
“While we do not contest the right of Mr Elechi to hold a public office irrespective of political affiliation or personal relationship, we believe that it is both morally and strategically unacceptable to appoint him into such a position where he may have to investigate individuals with whom he has political affiliation or where such appointment may cast doubts on the integrity of the body.” The Actionaid chief asked Mr Jonathan to withdraw the nomination and “show serious commitment to the battle against corruption by seeking appointment into the ICPC position such persons who will not attract suspicion of political expediency to the commission’s activities.” The group also appealed to the Nigerian Senate to “act in the good interest of the nation and refuse assent to the nomination of Mr Elechi as the chairman of ICPC.
“The senators, in turning down the nomination, would have acted as conscientious and true representatives of the people of Nigeria whose commonwealth have been wasted and stolen over the years.”
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