Jonathan's appointees trade in corruption - EFCC

SaharaReporters

Farida Waziri's recent trip to the US has enabled her to make a case for her lack luster anti-corruption drive, and to pass the buck.  And the person upon whom she is heaping the blame for her failures is her current boss: Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan.

Farida told some United States officials during her recent trip that Jonathan and some of his aides have completely crippled her operation by interfering directly in her anti-corruption work.

Mrs. Waziri also told FBI trainers who visited the EFCC in Abuja that her terrible standing internationally is simply because her bosses never allow her to do her job. She gave examples of interference in the arrest and prosecution of economic criminals by the fallen former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaaa.

She lamented that since Jonathan’s coming to power, his powerful aides (who are believed to be his Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe and the current Attorney General, Mohammed Bello Adoke) have become stumbling blocks.

Although Mrs. Waziri's personal corruption and incompetence serve as major impediments to any meaningful anti-corruption work, EFCC officials have told Saharareporters that since assuming office, Jonathan has gone out of his way to muzzle the EFCC even more. Last week, the AGF Adoke openly chastised the Commission over its mode of operation, asking the agency to jettison its use of strong-arm tactics to fight corruption.

Mr. Adoke’s statement was not specific to any particular case but sources told Saharareporters that one of his points of interference is Taraba State where the EFCC had planned to act on a series of powerful petitions against the governor, who had embezzled large sums of the monies belonging to the state.

But Mr. Adoke's wife was quickly appointed as the Attorney General in the state, in order to forestall any further investigation of the case.

Also last week, Mr. Adoke reportedly donated N250 million to the Jonathan campaign to forestall his removal after he said that former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida would not be investigated for stealing $12.4 billion Gulf oil windfall.

That statement was said to have rankled the presidency.

Mrs. Waziri’s complaint to the United States complicates Jonathan’s anti-corruption spinelessness.  During his visit to the country a few months ago, he swore to the Obama administration and foreign policy specialists that he would move quickly on corruption.  That was interpreted partly to mean he would relieve Mrs. Waziri, who is in the bad books of several international anti-corruption agencies, of her job.