EFCC: Presidency Justifies Waziri’s Removal

The Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, has said that the removal of Mrs Farida Waziri as Chairman of EFCC is lawful.

Gulak told newsmen in Abuja last Thursday that Waziri was removed in accordance with the law that gave the President the powers to remove or suspend any member of the EFCC board.

He said that contrary to sentiments that Waziri’s removal was politically motivated, only the President knew why she was removed.  “Once you are appointed by the president, the laws allow him to remove you based on reasons known to him, which may not be made known to us.

“If the President has powers to appoint, that law also gives him power, to fire, I don’t see why Nigerians should be disturbed.’’

The special adviser, however, expressed gratitude on behalf of the president for the work she did while in office.

“Nigerians and the President are grateful for what she has done and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavours.’’

The president had relieved Waziri of her duties as the anti-graft boss on Wednesday, and no reason was given for her sack.

In another development, the Human Rights Watch (HRW), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says the removal of Mrs Farida Waziri from the headship of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not solve the commission’s problems. President Goodluck Jonathan last Wednesday relieved Waziri of her duties and appointed Mr Ibrahim Lamorde as the Acting Chairman.

In a statement last Thursday in Lagos, the HRW said that only institutional reforms would improve the operations of the anti-graft agency. The statement was signed by Mr Daniel Bekele, Africa Director of HRW. The organisation claimed that the EFCC had been unable to secure convictions against government officials charged with corruption due to institutional failures such as executive interference and judiciary inefficiency.

“One of the EFCC’s greatest weaknesses has been its lack of independence and susceptibility to political pressure.

“President Jonathan’s sudden firing of Farida Waziri will only make that problem worse, unless the government pushes through reforms to bolster both the EFCC and the other institutions it depends on,” it said.

According to the organisation, the EFCC has so far arraigned 35 prominent politicians, including 19 former state governors over corruption, since its establishment.

“But many of those cases have made little progress in the courts, and not a single politician is currently serving a prison term for any of these alleged crimes.

“The commission has secured four convictions of senior political officials since 2003, but they have faced little or no prison terms,” it noted.

It urged amendments to the EFCC enabling law that would not allow the President of the country to dismiss the commission’s chairman at will.