Beware of corruption pitfalls, ICPC, EFCC tell incoming lawmakers

The Independent Corrupt Practices
and other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC), and the Economic And Financial
crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday,
warned incoming lawmakers to be wary of
corruption pitfalls in their legislative
business.



Specifically, the anti-graft body pointed to
area of oversight functions, contract award
and soliciting appointments into public
offices for their constituency members.
Chairmen of the ICPC and the EFCC, Ekpo Nta
and Ibrahim Lamorde respectively gave the
warnings at the induction certificate course
organized for newly elected lawmakers from
the Houses of Assembly, in Abuja.
Nta maintained that lobbying and
recommendations from legislators on
contract awards and public office
appointments constitute abuse of public
office for private gain.
ICPC Boss told the lawmakers to leave
award of contracts and appointments for the
executive as it was their statutory duties to
which there are laws guiding the conduct.
However, Nta made it clear that he was not
at the retreat to threatening them, but to
intimate the incoming lawmakers on some
areas they need to be careful with while
performing their duties, considering the many
requests and much pressure that will come
from members of their constituencies.
“As members of the National Assembly, you
will be under very severe pressure to
undermine all the provisions of the laudable
laws you have passed or will pass.
“Your constituencies will remind you
constantly that you are here through their
votes and that in return, you must fund all
their future marriages, naming ceremonies,
burials, provision of scholarships, potable
water and electricity, jobs in selected
government offices either as your PA or full
time employment.
“All the roads leading to your communities
must be tarred, and if already tarred provided
with street lights, sponsor medical
treatments abroad or locally. How do you
intend to fund all these activities? The
answer is yours to provide. How you can
avoid all these? Hold all the agencies that
should provide social services strictly
accountable by demanding accountability
and openness”, he urged.
Nta did not mix words on the position of
ICPC, if any one of them is suspected of any
corruption offence, he said; “it is the position
of the law that the lawmakers themselves
made and made certain Acts punishable
under the law and we are not the one who
will punish.
“We simply present the facts to the court that
this is what has happened in this instance,
and the court will decide whether we were
right or they were right in doing it.
“What I’m saying is that I’m giving you an
advise now, if you take that advise, we will
remain friends, but if you don’t take that
advise and do things which under the law
are not correct, we will now have to invite
you to come and address us on petitions we
have received in respect of an infraction.”
On his part, Lamorde said the EFCC might
not wait for petition to take step against any
public official including the lawmaker if it
noticed that they were living above their
means.
Represented by Deputy Director , Public
Affairs, Osita Nwajah at the event, he the
commission is empowered to do so by virtue
of section 7 of the establishment Act.
According to him, it will be easy for the EFCC
to move into such a situation without
petitions since the income of legislators is no
secret.