1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Administrative Panel of Inquiry on Reports of Alleged Corrupt Practices by name Public Officers and Other persons were constituted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, on Monday 6th February 2007. The panel was Federal Government's determination to extend the ongoing battle against corruption to all facets of national life, including the electoral process.
1.2 The Panel's membership comprised the following persons:
(i) Professor I.A. AYUA, OFR, SAN, FNIALS,
Solicitor General of the Federation & Permanent Secretary,
Federal Ministry Justice - Chairman
(ii) Mr. Ad Obe, Senior Special Assistant to the President
& Head of Servicom Office, the Presidency - Member
(iii) ACP Tunde Ogunsakin, Nigeria Police Force - Member
(iv) Hajia Najatu Muhammad, Human Right Activist - Member
(v) Mr. Ebelo Goodluck, Journalist - Member
(vi) M.F. Nmakwe, Federal Ministry of Justice - Member
2.0 TERMS OF REFERENCE
The panel's Terms of reference were set out as follows:
1. To examine cases of specific alleged corrupt practices by public officers;
2. To invite public officers against
3. To request for representation from any persons or body who, in its opinion can provide information to assist the panel in the discharge of its responsibility;
4. To examine any other matter which it considers relevant or expedient for the full consideration of its primary assignment;
5. To make appropriate findings arising from its consideration of the materials available to it and representation from all parties; and
6. To make appropriate recommendations to Government from its findings.
The panel had seven (7) days within which to submit its Reports.
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 The panel's methodology comprised the following measures:
(1) Holding of meetings, where it examined the various cases referred to it by the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) in order to determine that they met the minimum standard of consideration set by the panel; 89 reports were ultimately submitted to the panel by EFCC.
(2) Mass-media publications and announcements to invite the investigated persons to appear before it react or respond to allegations made against them.
(3) Findings of the EFCC reports and the response thereof of the individuals for the purposes of taking a final decision.
4.0 BACKGROUND TO THE ASSIGNMENT
4.1 The resolve of President Olusegun Obasanjo administration to tackle corruption in our national life has never been in doubt since the advent of the administration on May 29, 1999. Several bodies and agencies have been established or re-invigorated in this task while several initiatives have been embarked upon by the Government in this regard. This panel was regarded as one of such several initiatives to fight corruption in the political process.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
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