
Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has lost focus.
He, therefore, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to re-organise
the EFCC for effective discharge of its mandate to investigate and
prosecute corrupt Nigerians.
Clark made this position known while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday.
He stated that the anti-graft agency had lost its focus of
prosecuting corrupt officials as it now goes after those involved in
cyber and petty crimes.
The Ijaw leader’s comment came on the heels of the claim by the
Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who stated that his fight against corruption
will start on May 29, 2015 when he would have been sworn-in as
president, if he wins the March 28 presidential elections.
Responding to a question if he was calling for the removal of the
Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, Clark said during
re-organization, “anything can happen”.
He also disagreed with the current practice of waiting to receive
petitions first before investigating open cases against public office
holders.
Clark, who noted that the implication of Buhari’s statement was that
those who were facing corruption charges or accused of corruption before
May 29, 2015 would be pardoned, saying it was wrong.
According to him, “had the agencies charged with fighting corruption
been up and doing, no one will accuse President Jonathan of not doing
enough to fight corruption. Given that nothing substantial is being
done, one is primed to advise Mr. President to immediately reorganize
the anti-graft agencies”.