Falana Indicts President Buhari, Says He Is Enabling Corruption

By Akinwale Kasali

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has indicted President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for, allegedly, enabling corruption. He said the Federal Government has not done enough in the fight against the menace.

He lamented that most corrupt members of the  political class that had been indicted and facing corruption charges have found their way into the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and their sins forgiven.

Falana added that the words of former APC Chairman, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, is playing out, where he said that, “Your Sins are forgiven if you join the APC”.

He alleged that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, is  backing and shielding corrupt persons in the country, and  thus, truncating the fight against corruption in the Country.

Falana made this assertion at the unveiling of the 5th Edition of the Compendium of 100 High Profile Corruption Cases in Nigeria by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, held in Lagos, today, Thursday, December 9th, 2021.

Agreeing with Falana, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Olumide Fusika, said corruption has been the order of the day in the country, without any let.

Olumide-Fusika said that even in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigerian factor has taken the center stage.

“The EFCC investigation is shallow, as the EFCC investigators have become contractors that do the bidding of their paymasters.

“Tribalism, Religious sentiments have polarized the EFCC, and the battle on corruption seems to be lost. The EFCC is nothing to write home about, as it has become a political organization. We are in a mess in this country”, he said.

The Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Sadiq Isah Radda, in his contribution  blamed the Judiciary. He said that corruption has been a major issue in the country due to the failure of the Judiciary, which he alleges, has been manipulated by a corrupt political class.

He alleged that the Judiciary is circumventing and scuttling the road of justice due to financial gains from this corrupt politician.

Radda furthermore stressed that there were a lot of variables that make the fight against corruption hard.

He, however, urged Nigerians to join the fight against corruption and take responsibility in tackling the menace, especially at the State and Local Government levels where the fight ought to intensify.

On the part of the EFCC, lead Prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, believes that for corruption to be curtailed in the country, cash transactions in Government must stop.

He pointed out that most corruption cases have to do with mismanagement of Security Votes by Governors, who use this money to enrich themselves at the expense of its primary purpose.

Former Solicitor General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro, SAN, said that it saddens him that corruption cases take longer time to prosecute, stressing that incomplete investigation, lack of prima facie evidence and unpreparedness of prosecution at the filing of charges in court are major issues that need to be addressed in the fight against corruption.

He recommended that for corrupt politicians to be brought to book, an independent prosecution agency which may be called Economic and Financial Crimes and Corruption Prosecution Agency, EFCPA, with its separate Chairman and competent staff that would give legal advice to the Ministry of Justice will help in reducing the number of cases of civil wrongs like breach of contract and recovery of debt converted to corruption cases now pending in our courts.