According to the ICPC Chairman, “As members of the National Assembly, you will be under very severe pressure to undermine all the provisions of the laudable laws you have passed or will pass.”
Incoming political leaders have been warned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to be vigilant of corrupt practices as they commence serving their constituencies.
Chairmen of the ICPC, Ekpo Nta and the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde alerted the newly elected lawmakers yesterday during an induction certificate course for them. They told the leaders to be wary of the exercise of oversight functions, contract awards, and soliciting appointments into public offices for their constituency members.
Nta, the ICPC chairman advised the lawmakers to allow the executive to award contracts and designate appointments as it is its statutory duty to do so.
According to him, “As members of the National Assembly, you will be under very severe pressure to undermine all the provisions of the laudable laws you have passed or will pass.”
“Your constituencies will remind you constantly that you are here through their votes and that in return, you must fund all their future marriages, naming ceremonies, burials, provision of scholarships, potable water and electricity, jobs in selected government offices either as your PA or full time employment.”
“All the roads leading to your communities must be tarred, and if already tarred provided with street lights, sponsor medical treatments abroad or locally. How do you intend to fund all these activities? The answer is yours to provide. How you can avoid all these? Hold all the agencies that should provide social services strictly accountable by demanding accountability and openness,” he advised.
Nta reaffirmed the role that the ICPC plays in calling foul play, “We simply present the facts to the court that this is what has happened in this instance, and the court will decide whether we were right or they were right in doing it.
“What I’m saying is that I’m giving you an advice now, if you take that advice, we will remain friends, but if you don’t take that advice and do things which under the law are not correct, we will now have to invite you to come and address us on petitions we have received in respect of an infraction,” he pointed out.
Lamorde on the other hand, stated that the EFCC does not need to wait for petition before taking steps against any public official living above their means. The agency has addressed financial corruption by directly prosecuting and convicting a number of high-profile corrupt individuals.