The Oodua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC), an organisation of
25 pan-Yoruba groups, says the call for the sack of Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman
of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is self-serving and not
in the best interest of Nigerians.
In a statement on Monday, the coalition said removing Bawa
from office at this time will weaken the anti-graft organisation and fuel
political interference in the affairs of the agency.
The coalition added that the grounds for the call for Bawa’s
sack based on contempt is an illogical proposition.
On February 17, some anti-corruption civil society
organisations (CSOs) staged a protest calling for the sack of Bawa over
contempt of court.
The CSOs said Bawa must be sacked, claiming that he is a
serial violator of court order and not fit to be the head of an agency that is
supposed to sanitise the society.
But the Yoruba coalition group said those behind the call
for Bawa’s sack are politically exposed persons (PEPs) who have a case to
answer with the EFCC.
“We are in the best position to resist this attempt to
remove the EFCC Chairman for political reasons. The removal of the head of such
a strategic organisation cannot be in the interest of Nigerians at this moment.
We on the other hand call on politically exposed persons to stop the attacks on
the EFCC,” the group said.
“Bawa should be
allowed to complete the on-going investigations against some important
political figures, including those in the ruling party, APC, who are desperate
to ensure the removal of the EFCC chairman, hiding under the illogical
proposition that he has failed to obey court orders.
“In law, if the EFCC chairman fails to obey court order, the
aggrieved should file contempt proceedings. Jumping to the rash conclusion that
he should be removed is unreasonable, selfserving and unproductive.
“Tampering with the leadership of the EFCC will send very
wrong signal to local and international communities. We also call on the newly
elected president, state governors and lawmakers to allow the EFCC to do its
work without political interference.”
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