A Civil society organization dedicated to combating corruption in Nigeria, under the canopy of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has kicked against the agitation in whatever form, for Interim Government in Nigeria after the elections that produced various political office holders, including governors, Senators and others.
In a communiqué issued at the end of an organized Anticorruption Stakeholders Summit in Lagos State with the Support of MacArthur Foundation and Open Society Initiative for West Africa, the body expressed opposition to the recent suggestions for an interim government, which it deemed unconstitutional and a grave menace to Nigeria’s democracy.
“The stakeholders acknowledged that a stable democracy is an essential condition for combating corruption effectively, and any measures that destabilize the political structure would considerably hinder the efforts to combat corruption in the country.
The communiqué, signed by the Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Olanrewaju Suraju, called upon pro-democracy movements and activists to remain vigilant and prevent any efforts to subvert the democratic process in Nigeria. It stressed the critical importance of adopting peaceful and democratic measures to address the challenges currently confronting the nation.
It “unequivocally denounced the recent demand for the removal of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It emphasized the significance of safeguarding the independence of anti-corruption agencies and empowering them to discharge their responsibilities impartially and without any undue interference from the political office holders.
The communique emphasized the critical importance of preserving the autonomy of anti-corruption agencies, safeguarding democracy, and setting an anti-corruption agenda for the incoming government.
It advised all stakeholders to reject any efforts aimed at compromising the autonomy of these agencies, which are pivotal to the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria.
It espoused the need for an anti-corruption agenda for the incoming government, stressing the need to make it a top priority to combat corruption in all its forms. The statement called for the creation of a robust legal framework that would facilitate the prosecution of corrupt individuals, and the strengthening of anti-corruption institutions to enable them to carry out their mandates effectively.
It challenged the Code of Conduct Bureau on the scrutiny of assets declaration forms of political office holders exiting offices at the end of Buhari’s regime for any breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers and ensure prosecution before Code of Conduct Tribunal in record time.
Participants hailed the summit as a crucial step towards addressing the issue of corruption in Nigeria and pledged to work together to achieve a corruption-free Nigeria.
