Strengthen fight against corruption, Coalition urges Tinubu

Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG), on Tuesday, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen the fight against corruption, to ensure blockage of avenues where corrupt practices were being perpetrated and reduce the menace to the bearest minimum.

Leader of the coalition, Comrade Rasak Olokoba, made the call at a press conference in Lagos, even as he also urged the general public, well-meaning Nigerians to be wary of antics of some elements profiting from the proceeds of corruption that had been trying to rubbish the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

“It is apposite to unequivocally alert the general public, well-meaning Nigerians to be wary of antics of some elements profiting from the proceeds of corruption that have been trying to rubbish the agency by tarnishing its leadership,” he said.

This was just as Olokoba sadly noted that the Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) in the country were at a period perceived in some quarters as rabid hounds for the persecution of political foes, while at another season, fears were raised on “who shall watch over the watchdogs?”

He, however, said notwithstanding these apprehensions, the Agencies marched on stridently to block the strain of corruption on scarce public funds available in the country, saying this step was necessary and “imperative for the government if it must meet with onerous duties to provide social infrastructure and welfare services for hapless Nigerians.”

Speaking further, Olokoba noted that EFCC was playing leading roles in the battle against corruption, saying that the move was premised on the understanding that, “if we don’t kill corruption, it will kill us.”

“The social gangrene, however, viciously fights back. Virtually none of the helmsmen of the Agency steered its ship without getting scathed, from Nuhu Ribadu to Ibrahim Larmode, Farida Waziri, Ibrahim Magu, up to the present Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa,” he said.

The CDG convener, while calling on President Tinubu to as a matter of necessity not only retain the Abdurasheed Bawa-led administration of the EFCC but also strengthen it more vigorously with all the required tools and logistics to enable the Agency to accomplish all the plans towards the successful fight against grafts it had commenced, noted that in all civilised climes across the globe, any government that aspired to succeed and provide good governance for its citizenry would work towards the eradication of corruption and any form of grafts because of their potency to wreak havoc on the country and cause political destabilisation and economic wreckage.

“In all civilised climes across the globe, any government that aspires to succeed and provide good governance for its citizenry would work towards the eradication of corruption and any form of graft because of their potency to wreak havoc on the country and cause political destabilisation and economic wreckage.