Why Farida Waziri was sacked

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Latest Politics Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

FURTHER details have emerged as to the reasons that led President Goodluck Jonathan to relieve the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, of her position.

Sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the final straw that compelled President Jonathan to effect the removal had to do with a representation of a league of international anti-graft agencies that was said to have expressed fears that Nigeria was playing politics with the fight against corruption with Waziri in the saddle.

Sources said that the international anti-graft fighters actually made representation to President Jonathan, with the claim that going by Waziri’s style and measures taken, Nigeria was being seen as “playing politics with the anti-graft war.”

Another source also said that a lot of things were linked to her which are not in line with anti-graft war. “A number of things were also linked with her which were not in tandem with the anti-corruption fight,” another source said, adding that the president, in removing her, was convinced of the need to re-invigorate the anti-graft war.

It was also confirmed that Section 3(2) of the EFCC Act 2004 empowers the president to remove the chairman of the EFCC or any member of the governing board without reference to the National Assembly. The law actually empowers the president to remove the chairman in “national interest.”

Contrary to indications that some ex-governors were behind the bid to remove Waziri, a source said that the president had taken his time to look at all representations against her before taking the final step.

Said a source: “A number of misrepresentations were being made as regards the removal of Mrs Waziri. First, it needs to be said that her removal is purely in national interest. There is the need to re-energise the anti-graft war and the perception of Nigeria in the international community, as it relates to the anti-graft war, and this was unencouraging in the sight of the president. The EFCC Act gives express powers to the president to remove the EFCC chairman in national interest. In any case, her predecessor was not removed based on the recommendations of the National Assembly.”

The source said that the choice of Ibrahim Lamorde in acting capacity was apt because he was the engine room of the Nuhu Ribadu anti-graft crusade.

“To re-energise the anti-graft war, going for Larmode is a good option, because he was part and parcel of the Ribadu corruption war. If the president had brought a politician, there would be issues,” the source said.

It was also alleged that the removal of the woman had to do with the failure of the commission to track the funds being used by the dreaded Islamic militant sect, Boko Haram in its series of operations.

Sources said that the funds, used in recent suicide bomb blasts were offshore funds which should not be difficult for the EFCC to trace.

Another source said the discovery of what has been described as monumental corruption in the judiciary was also linked to the sack.

It was learnt that despite the movement of billions of naira from Nigeria, the commission had been unable to directly hook a judicial official.

A source alleged that some top government officials were told that Mrs Waziri had switched off a machine which could track international funds movement and that the development was causing ripples in intelligence circles.

It was also learnt that Waziri heard about her sack from the announcement by Jonathan’s spokesperson, Dr Reuben Abati, just like other Nigerians.

Nigerian Tribune also reliably learnt that the presidency had not, at the close of work on Wednesday, officially communicated to her the decision to remove her from office.

It was gathered that she was in her office till close of work and decided not to officially react to the sack announcement, because nothing had been communicated to her.

It was confirmed that she held a closed-door meeting with the acting chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, before leaving the office on Wednesday.

President Goodluck Jonathan had, earlier on Wednesday, sacked Waziri and appointed in her place in acting capacity, Mr Lamorde.

The news of her sack was preceded by Jonathan’s departure for France for a scheduled investment council meeting, on Wednesday.

A terse statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Abati, gave no reason for the action.

The statement merely said Jonathan has ”approved the appointment of Mr Ibrahim Lamorde as the acting chairman/Chief Executive of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The appointment takes immediate effect and effectively relieves Mrs Farida Waziri of her position as EFCC chairman. Mrs Waziri was appointed EFCC chairman by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua on May 18, 2008 and confirmed by the Senate on May 27, 2008.”

It described Lamorde as an officer of the Nigeria Police who was, until this appointment, the Director of Operations of the EFCC.

He had also acted as chairman of the EFCC before Waziri assumed duty at the commission in May 2008.

Meanwhile, A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozhekome, has described the removal of Mrs Waziri by President Jonathan as a good riddance to bad rubbish.

Speaking on the issue, the silk faulted the mode of operation of Mrs Waziri, saying that she was in the habit of relating with tainted individuals.

Ozhekome futher accused the former EFCC boss of selective justice, adding that her dispensation lacked human face and wore the monstrous visage of persecution rather than prosecution.

Ozhekome commended the president for taking the action at this particular point in time, saying that it was constitutional for the president to do so.

In another development, controversies have continued to trail the sack of Waziri.

Reacting to her removal, a human rights activist and Lagos lawyer, Fred Agbaje, said during her tenure, corruption and other related financial offences witnessed a geometric increase, attributing this development to her weak approach to issues.

Though she commended her efforts, especially her compliance with the rule of law, Agbaje said she would have achieved more, if she was able to take the bull of corruption by the horn.

“That she lasted three years is a miracle. Having regards to the agenda and the nature of assignment on her shoulder, in which she has to step on powers that be, she must be commended for her little contribution in the past three years,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, a human rights crusader, Joe Odumakin said the tenure of Mrs Waziri was marred with controversies, but stressed the needs for strengthening of the commission, for it to achieve its constitutional goals.

Also in a reaction, the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Partyy (PDP) Synergy Group, Mr Dotun Oyelade, said the appointment of Lamorde was difficult to fault, given his wide experience both in the police and within the graft agency, adding that for the change in baton to make a difference, the government must give the EFCC a gree hand to do its job.

-Tribunewp_posts