President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to present the name of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu as the substantive head of the anti-corruption body before the 9th Senate so as to consolidate on the achievements in the fight against corruption and financial crimes in the country.
The National Chairman, Millennium Auctioneers Association of Nigeria, Chief Allwell Erastus said this while briefing journalists after an emergency meeting of the executive body of the association at the Federal Capital Territory over the weekend.
Speaking after the adjournment of the Executive Meeting of the association, Chief Erastus insisted that once the President takes the step to present the name of Magu before the current Senate for confirmation, many Nigerians who believed in the war against corruption would win more support at home and demonstrate before the international community that Nigeria is serious about fighting corruption.
According to the Chairman, “at the meeting we just concluded, we all saw the sense in the need for President Muahmmadu Buhari to return to the Senate with the name of the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu for confirmation as a substantive Chairman.
“That singular action will make more Nigerians believe that the EFCC Chairman has been doing well in the recovery of assets from looters and fighting all forms of economic crimes; improve our rating in the international community as a people ready to fight corruption and most importantly, consolidate on the reforms in the administration of justice in the country. “
“We can all see that the current National Assembly is not working against the President and the people of Nigeria; so it would be proper to present the name of Magu again for confirmation because the EFCC under Magu has worked well with other agencies of government to fight financial crimes and stabilise the polity.
“Working with the Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami for example has led to the achievement of many visible results.
“A few of the benefits of the justice sector reforms was the deliberate effort to decongest our prisons nationwide, saving the government about N4.5 trillion from litigation and completed cases and the facilitation of the return of stolen funds from offshore accounts.
“Some of the others include drafting of the Presidential order six and eight which have largely revolutionized the war against corruption in Nigeria; the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the proper composition of the Committee for the Sale of Federal Government Assets.
“With the pedigree of the leadership and membership of the Committee for the Sale of Federal Government Assets, we have decided as the executive of the Millennium Auctioneers Association of Nigeria to key into the Federal Government laid down procedure and follow the international best practice for assets disposal.
“We hereby urge all our members nationwide to liaise with the national body and complete all their required documentation that will make them eligible to participate in the disposal of the assets nationwide.
“We are also using this means to remind them that having demonstrated transparency so far, we believe that the committee will work with our members who are willing to participate in all parts of the country once such member has filed all the proper documents to be eligible to participate in the process” Chief Erastus said.