‘Say No Campaign’ group has vowed not to relent in its fight against corruption especially as it concerns secret recruitment of relatives of highly influential Nigerians by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
The group made the vow in a statement decrying non-appearance of the CBN officials appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Hearing.
On 7th June 2016, the House Committee on Public Hearing invited Say No Campaign-Nigeria for an investigative hearing on the petition against Central Bank of Nigeria. Say No Campaign was duly represented but the CBN failed to appear before the committee.
The Chairman of House Committee on Public Petitions said a new date for the public hearing, which would have representatives of the CBN in attendance, would be fixed and communicated to the general public.
It will be recalled that news website, Sahara Reporters broke the story that the apex bank hired children and relatives of politically-exposed Nigerians without advertising the positions to allow other Nigerians apply, as required by law.
The alleged actions of the CBN contravened the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which states in section 42 that, “a citizen of Nigeria of a particular group shall not, by reason only that he is such a person: a) be subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other groups are not made subject; or be accorded any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to all citizens of Nigeria.”.
“Section 16(2) provides that the economic system will not be operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group, such as the politically and economically connected or their children.”
“Section 17 provides that the state social order is founded on ideals of freedom, equality and justice. Subsection (3) of the same section provides that the state shall direct its policy towards, ensuring that all citizens without discrimination on any group whatever, have the opportunity for securing adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunity to secure suitable employment.”
It was against this backdrop that the Say No Campaign petitioned the House and Senate Committee on Public Petitions. In a letter dated 30th of March 2016, Say No Campaign-Nigeria prayed both legislative houses to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged secret recruitment process by the National Assembly and relevant government agencies; to base on the findings of the investigation, prosecute individuals and organizations involved in the process; and to also make details of probe of public.
