Following the arrest of the Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, over alleged N80 billion fraud and his subsequent suspension from office, some Nigerians who spoke to Ijeoma UKAZU and Williams ABAH have charged anti-graft agencies to ensure due diligence in the prosecution of corrupt cases and bared their feelings about where the President Muhammadu Buhari administration failed. Excerpts:
EMILIA PAUL: The President Buhari administration has not delivered very well on its promise to fight corruption. Most of the cases we see on the media are just trials and afterwards, most of them go free.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, is one party that has a lot of people who decamped from the People’s Democratic Party after EFCC alleged they were corrupt; and were freed by the court because of what seem to be connected to their party affiliation.
Only recently, operatives of EFCC, arrested the Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, over an alleged N80 billion fraud. On the 18th of May, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed suspended Idris, over the said N80 billion fraud allegation. This goes further to show you of the crop of people in Buhari’s cabinet.
TEMITOPE OJOBOORUN: This government came into power with the mantra to fight corruption but what Nigerians are seeing today is not the case. This government and its appointees have been charged with corruption without persecution.
It is unfair that these monies are generated from taxes paid by Nigerians who struggle daily to have a living amidst economic hardship. It is indeed sad.
More saddening is the recent N80 billion fraud allegations levelled against the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, by the Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, while we still have university students at home.
I am happy the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab suspended Mr. Idris and has instructed that during this period, he is not expected to go to his place of work or contact any official in his office except for any disciplinary hearing that may be advised.
IGBOKWE JOHN: Corrupt practices, mismanagement of public funds, and bad governance is all I see in this government. Different allegations of corruption have been pointed at this administration, but how many of them have been charged?
Truly, this government hasn’t done well at all in tackling corruption. With the arrest of the AGF, let’s fold our arms and watch what plays out. From the media, I read the statement put out by the spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, he said the allegations is tied to the fact that the AGF fraudulently amassed the money through bogus consultancy contracts, and other illegal activities, using proxies, associates and family members.
If Nigeria must progress, government at all sectors must ensure that public funds are well utilised to better the lives of Nigerians.
NATHANIEL IGWEBUIKE:
The anti-corruption fight of Buhari’s administration has been a laughing stock. You are talking of assessment; the whole situation is in the full glare of all Nigerians. This is the government that came to power on the mantra of fighting corruption, yet nothing to show for it. If you can still recall, this government came out and said any corrupt politician that joined their party, even though such politicians are allegedly corrupt, they would automatically become a saints.
Anti-graft agencies, EFCC and ICPC were established by Obasanjo’s administration. I can tell you that during that time, those agencies were very strong and they performed excellently well. As we speak, they are just like a tool in the hands of politicians in this present government. If you take assessment of the anti-corruption fight in this administration, you would only come out with the result of the highest corruption ever in the history of this country.
Few days ago, the alleged corruption of the accountant general of the federal came to public domain. Why wouldn’t he siphon such amount from the public treasury when he knew that at the end of the day nothing will happened to him? Imagine somebody who is entrusted with such high and sensitive government institution cannot respect the code of conduct and ethics of his profession but made a way with 80 billion.
I was not surprised to hear this, because there are so many corrupt persons in this government, and nothing happened to them. Where is Ibrahim Magu, the former EFCC boss? His case has been ‘swept under the carpet. So, is it the accountant general of the federation that will be prosecuted? I can tell you that after this media trial you will not hear anything again. Nigeria is in a serious mess.
BELLO USMAN: For me, I will say the present administration has been putting strategies in place to fight corruption, but the only challenge has been the consistency to go far and meet the expectations of Nigerians. Like you said, assessing the Buhari’s administration in the area of anti-corruption fight, Nigerians will not totally say that the government has failed in fighting corruption.
This government has put the machinery in motion to see that all corrupt public officials are tried following corrupt allegations. It was in this government that those who looted from the public treasury voluntarily returned money. We all know how a large chunk of money were returned from Dasuki gate.
OKODUWA JOHN: I have lost hope in everything concerning this government. What are we assessing about this government, when the man at the helms of affairs has no feeling of the citizens? This is a country that cannot pay lecturers their entitlements. Universities have been on strike close to four months, yet government is not ready to do anything about it. If government can channel that 80 billion allegedly looted by the accountant general of the federation to Health and Education, it would solve the problem of Nigeria’s economy.
Here we are reading about one man looting such amount. That is madness. What will he be doing with such money? My annoyance in the case of Ahmed Idris, was that this is somebody entrusted with the national treasury, the financial engine room of the federation, yet he messed up in this shameful manner. EFCC and other anti-graft bodies should justify their integrity in this case by resisting all external forces.
