What Nigerians think of EFCC going after decampee politicians

Ignatius Opara, 45, Secretary, SWAN, Enugu State When the EFCC was established by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. The essence was to ensure discipline among Nigerians concerning financial crimes and to go after corrupt government and private office holders. But this was not followed to the letter even in that era. The political leaders see […]

Ignatius Opara, 45, Secretary, SWAN, Enugu State

When the EFCC was established by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. The essence was to ensure discipline among Nigerians concerning financial crimes and to go after corrupt government and private office holders. But this was not followed to the letter even in that era.

The political leaders see decampees as perceived enemies because they are causing division in their ‘kingdom’. But even the opposition raising alarm will still do the same thing; that is to tell you that we are still growing and also that our current crop of politicians do not believe in real democracy. This is a country where governments disobey court orders with impunity. 

Okonkwo Adaeze, 25, Economist, Anambra State

I thought the EFCC was set up to curtail financial crimes in the country. If President Muhammadu Buhari is using the anti-graft agency very effectively for the objectives it was set up, he should go ahead and not mind what his critics are saying. On the other hand, if the federal government under President Buhari is using the commission to achieve his selfish political purpose, he should desist from doing that as it will contradict the aims and objectives for which the commission was established. He should not allow his personal interest to affect the purpose of the EFCC. 

Mr. Ezenwata Chijioke, 27, Human Rights Activist, Enugu

The EFCC should desist from harassing political opponents and stop acting like political attack dogs of the ruling party. The partisan coloration of EFCC has become very disturbing. They perceive political opponents who may pose significant threats to the re-election of the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election as detractors and thereby go after such persons; this is tantamount to political witch-hunt and abuse of power by those currently wielding political power at the centre. 

Danlami Inuwa Hassan, 43, Ex-councillor, Bauchi

To be honest, what the EFCC is doing at this time amounts to outright intimidation and witch-hunt. It won’t be out of place if it started the investigations earlier when all the people who defected were in the ruling APC. We know that some of them have series of petitions against them but the issue was played down because they belonged to the ruling party. Magu had a running battle with many of the Senators who defected. They rejected his nomination not once, but he did not look into their closet until now.

Government agencies like EFCC must be neutral in their operations. But with the recent happenings, many Nigerians like me will be skeptical about the supposed neutrality of the federal government. We know that Saraki had a running battle with the Code of Conduct Tribunal until he was cleared by the Supreme Court. The case of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom caught my attention the most. This man was confronted by allegations of embezzlement after his defection and then suddenly targeted for impeachment by some lawmakers.

Alhaji Hassan Inuwa, 53, Trader, Bauchi

EFCC’s action against defectors is giving the fight against corruption an entirely different meaning. Nigerians are sceptical about the motive behind allegations against Benue State governor Samuel Ortom. Has the EFCC been sleeping for three years to investigate him when he was in the APC? I wonder what our politicians take governance to be. In other climes, political affiliation doesn’t matter when someone does anything wrong against the state, but our own case is different. You are a criminal only when you don’t belong to the ruling party or when you offend a powerful person close to the seat of power.

Zainab Idris, 20, Student, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi

It looks as if the EFCC suddenly got the vigour to go after ‘thieves’. What baffles me most is the speed at which allegations are being rolled out. There are many politicians who are corrupt in this country, but why treat them differently? The opposition is always made to look guilty while others are given VIP treatment.

The EFCC has for a long time been accused of being an attack dog, since Obasanjo’s days. President Buhari should look at what these federal agencies are doing because they are giving him a bad image. The police have done it before the defection when they barricaded the leadership of the National Assembly in an attempt to pave way for a ‘palace coup’ which backfired and Nigerians sympathised with them.

Fatima Aliyu, 20, Student, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) Bauchi

I am not interested in who the EFCC arrests. My only concern is for the persons to return what they stole. However, arresting the opposition won’t augur well for its image and by extension the federal government, especially as we are approaching the 2019 elections with the usual cross carpeting by politicians from the ruling APC. 

Those who defected to APC on the eve of the 2015 elections came with their alleged ‘corruption’ luggage and they were accepted. So, for the EFCC to go after them when they return to the PDP is too little too late.

The EFCC should be fair. We are in a democracy and everybody has a right to associate with anybody or any political party he or she wants. Whether that person is corrupt or not, the fact remains that he has that guaranteed right which must not be infringed upon by anybody, not even the EFCC.

Osuagwu Ephraim, 47, Marketer, Imo State

Uthman Dan Fodio said truth is bitter and conscience is an open wound only truth can heal. Again, you can cheat some people some time but you cannot cheat all the people all the time.

The EFCC under President Muhammadu Buhari has outlived its usefulness and so should either be proscribed or the staff sacked because the present government is using the commission against anybody who speaks the truth or false about Buhari.

Abdullahi  Mohammed, 40, Butcher, Bauchi