SPEECH: EFCC backs Enahoro

‘I SUPPORT THIS REVOLUTION’ BEING AN ADDRESS BY CHIEF ANTHONY ENAHORO, CFR, THE SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE LAUNCH OF THE ANTI CORRUPTION REVOLUTION, ANCOR, IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA ORGANISED BY THE EFCC AT THE LAGOS AIRPORT HOTEL, IKEJA, LAGOS

On 17th FEBRUARY 2009                                                        

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I begin by thanking the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for inviting me to be Special Guest of Honour in this important event marking the Flag-Off of their anti-corruption activities in the South-West zone of our country?

I agreed, without hesitation, to accept the official invitation to be here today because I would like people to know that I identify with, and I am prepared to lend my support, to the Anti-Corruption campaign by EFCC.

My opening remark this morning will be brief because I expect the Chairman and other speakers who may take the floor after me to address the subject matter at some length.

Corruption in one form or another exists in virtually all countries in the world. The difference among countries is its prevalence in some countries and the level of its tolerance by those in authority there. In democratic countries with open societies in which government is openly accountable to the people, there is close to zero tolerance of corruption. Conversely, in authoritarian states where government is not really accountable to the people and operate mainly in the secrecy, corruption thrives because those who indulge in it are the holders and wielders of the apparatus of state power and they tend to live above the law.

In the last 25years, our country has earned unprecedented revenue principally from its oil and gas resources. The irony of its failure to advance the life of our people is that the wealth of Nigeria is inversely related to the prosperity of our people. If I may put this differently, what I have said is that the wealthier our country grew the poorer our people became.

This irony can only be explained in terms of the endemic corruption which overran our country in the peak of its oil wealth. In my view, the unprecedented rise in our national income, mainly from oil and gas resources, fuelled corruption to unprecedented levels in the period 1999-2009 during which all tiers of Government-Federal, State and Local Government – had more money from the Federation Account than they had executive capacity to manage it.

Lacking in honesty and competence, the information available to the public is that much of the state funds which should have been devoted to the execution of the public projects ended up in private pockets. In this regards, the policy of privatization and commercialization pursued over the last ten (10) years which may have sought to transfer public property into private hands ended providing an enabling environment for corruption to thrive in high places.

In that kind of environment, favouritism in the misguided allocation of public property to a favoured few can and did thrive and occasional injustice to a successful but ill-favoured bidder was a certainty. There always have been anti-corruption laws in our country but where the EFCC of today comes in and can make a substantial difference to our lives is that it is the one institution sufficiently empowered by law to tackle corruption in both law and high places.

Before EFCC, the big fish could always breakout of the anti-corruption net. I would like to think that this would be no longer so and that any fish, large or small, caught in the EFCC net will be made to face the law without fear or favour. In this important respect, EFCC must be seen to be fearless and even handed in its approach to investigation and prosecution. Citizens believed to be friends of the Government must not be treated differently from others perceived or thought to be opponents of the incumbent Government. With fairness and even-handedness in its operation, EFCC can expect the people to stand behind it all the way and at all times.

To fulfil its statutory duty and meet the enormous of successfully fighting corruption in this country, it is my view that EFCC as an institution must remain truly independent and should not be subject to country by the Executive or Legislative branch of the government. EFCC must not operate as a subordinate outfit in the presidency or be seen as a parastatal in the Ministry of Justice. It is important and essential to its independence and credibility that EFCC is seen in matters concerning investigation and prosecution under the EFCC to operate outside the kind of control which Attorneys General exercise over DPPs and the Police Act.

I laud the steps taken so far by the new EFCC leadership in this direction and I wish them every success in their functions.

Thank you.

Chief Anthony Enahoro, CFR.