Sagay: Enemies of anti-corruption war are in the national assembly
Itse Sagay, presidential advisory committee against corruption (PACAC) chairman, says the national assembly is the enemy of the anti-corruption efforts of the federal government.
He said the federal lawmakers have constituted an opposition to the anti-corruption efforts of the government and anti-graft agencies.
Sagay said this in reaction to senate president Bukola Saraki’s criticism of the anti-corruption war on Monday during the launch of Dino Melaye’s book, ‘Antidotes for Corruption: The Nigerian Story’.
“I am convinced that why our fight against corruption has not yielded much success is that we have favoured punishment over deterence. We must fight corruption with sincerity, and not fight symptoms… unlike the five-minute sensationalism we have now. It must not be based on individuals but on institutions,” Saraki had said.
Reacting, Sagay said the national assembly is intent on weakening the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said the nation’s lawmakers have hindered the progress of the anti-corruption fight, particularly by refusing to confirm Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the EFCC.
“In fact, the National Assembly has constituted itself into an opposition to the anti-corruption struggle. It has mounted a war against the anti-corruption struggle. It has decided to obstruct it at every stage,” he said.
“For example, the bill for a special criminal court is not moving. And we saw the way they tried to stop Magu from being chairman of EFCC just because they found out he was effective, determined and incorruptible.
“So they really want to weaken it, destroy it and bring it to the level it was when Jonathan was in power. So, they’re enemies of the anti-corruption struggle, there’s no question about that.”
Sagay added that contrary to Saraki’s statement that the anti-corruption war was all about jailing people, “What we are determined to do at any cost is to recover every stolen kobo, all the loot taken from Nigeria, 100 per cent”.
Nigeria’s problem is not corruption.Corruption is just a byproduct and very insignificant. The nigerian problem can be gleaned from what Gen Gowon said in the 70s that our problem is not money but how to spend it.
Look around you’ll find many completed projects that are of no use such as airports, a lot of kabukabu industries that just come in we wrongly believe are providing employments for our people without realising they’re here to stuck our foreign reserve thru over-invoicing.
We keep on talking about infrastructural development while they’re not properly conceptualised before being embarked upon.
In short, when a man has money that is not put into proper use , his children will steal some, the wife will spend the money on avoidables, neighbours will con him, all manners of things will happen. Nobody thinks of what is good for Nigeria, we’ve been rolling over the foolishness n stupidity we inherited right from the time of self rule.No government has actually sat down to consciously learn how to develop this country and what we need to do to develop.Every government continue to build on faulty foundation and talk grammar.The development of the country seems a mere talk to our rulers.
People like the professor should go and rest if they are tired as it appears he is. Whatever is the shortcomings of our national assembly we need to make it grow.No one should ignite the anger of the ignorant masses against the institution that is established by the constitution to defend their liberty.Professor as a learned person should know better. Let him go to any of the chambers and plead for the passage of the bills.The people there are not supposed to be rubberstamps to the Executive.We should allow them do a thorough job.The professor and his team may be looking at the bills from an angle that has some shortcomings.
Enough of this bastardization of our representatives at national assembly.For comfort let him go and contest an election so that he can bring the change he advocates to the assemby.
You are truly a lover of corruption,with your kind of suggeestion the country would remain perpetual backward,kudos bro,how much were you paid to do this hatchet job on the proffessor,strong institution indeed!.
It’s funny and ridiculous to hear that this guy launched a book written by him.
For the fact that he did this,a child in the creche can also come up better with same.
You will know the quality of that book by the handlers of the event…I saw a former “first lady” that is very “sound” in terms of kiddish stuffs.
They can’t fool us with that book conceived by them and authored by their pipers. Nigerians know those that supposed to write and launch books…not you Bros. Anyways,by their fruit we shall know them.
I fully agree with Prof. Saggai that the National Assembly members are the ones blocking the fight against corruption .
If really they are in support of tie Fight Against Corruption, they must pass all necessary constitutional bills that will help in the WAR.
Personally, since d inception of the present national legislature, I have never bothered myself with what goes on there. Waiting for them in 2019 by d grace of God to do d needful.
I think only way out is to wait 4 2019 n lunch a campaign against the national Assembly