EFCC: Melaye's group warns Reps over amendment

A non-governmental organisation, Anti-Corruption League, on Monday in Abuja warned the House of Representatives against the planned speedy amendment to the Act establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, saying it was dangerous.The ACL therefore threatened to mobilise Nigerians against the planned amendment.The organisation, which stated that the move by the legislators would serve no useful public interest, also asked the Federal Capital Development Authority to clarify whether or not it sold the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.Spokespersons for the group, Dino Melaye and Independence Ogunewe, condemned the move to amend the EFCC Act.The former members of the House of Representatives threatened to mobilise Nigerians and the civil society against the planned amendment.They stressed that the only sure way to improve on the capacity of anti-graft agencies to deliver on their mandate was not to target at their leadership but to fortify their capacities to curb corruption.They added that by seeking that retired Supreme Court or Court of Appeal Justices to be the head of the EFCC would make the agency less active. According to them, there could be more to the entire plan to amend the EFCC Act than has been made public.Melaye and Ogunewe expressed surprise at the pace with which the House moved the bill through the first and second readings and advised the sponsor of the bill, Bassey Ewa, to withdraw the bill in the interest of posterity and in order not to kill the increasing tempo on war against corruption in Nigeria.They said, As former members of the House of Representatives, we understand the underline politics behind moves like this and it is in this light that we want to urge our colleagues in the House to drop totally any idea of amending the EFCC Act because it smacks of insincerity and an attempt to whittle down the war against corruption in the country.As members of the progressive group in the House of Representatives, we exposed and fought corruption squarely and we are determined to continue the struggle even from outside the chambers.This is why we are warning those spearheading this satanic bill being sponsored at an ungodly time to repent and back out; otherwise, we will mobilise Nigerian masses who are the direct victims of corruption to protest against them.
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