The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has faulted the federal government’s approach to the fight against corruption.
Bishop Kukah, who spoke Tuesday as the guest speaker at the public presentation and launch of the book: ‘Farida Waziri: One Step Ahead–Life as a Spy, Detective and Anti-Graft Czar’ in Abuja, specifically faulted the ‘selective corruption fight by the administration.’
The book was written by the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ms Farida Waziri.
Speaking on the topic: “Is corruption a biological necessity or a political invention?”, Bishop Kukah, who was represented by Reverend Fr. Patrick Alumuku of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, raised a poser on why the president who refused to declare publicly his assets despite his promise during his electioneering campaigns, could use former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen’s assets declaration form to nail him.
Kukah, a northerner from Kaduna state, also sought to know if it was constitutional for the EFCC chairman to be a police officer or must come from the northern part of the country.
Further to this, the cleric also queried why the incumbent chairman of the anti-graft body, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, was yet to be confirmed having spent almost five years in the office, just as he sought to know the state of the trial of those who attempted to kill him (Magu) in December, 2017.
He said: “On a final note, let me ask two or three questions that I have heard being asked. First, it is in the Law that the Chairman of EFCC must be from the Police Force and a Muslim from Northern Nigeria?
“Two, people have asked, how is it that the President used Justice Onnoghen’s Asset Declaration form to prove his corruption and proceed (sic) to sack him, yet, the president himself has not publicly declared his own assets as he promised during his campaigns?
“Thirdly, why has Mr. Magu not been confirmed as EFCC chairman and what is the state of the trial of those who attempted to kill him in December, 2017?’’ he further queried.
Responding, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, who was billed to review the book, countered the bishop on the president’s assets declaration allegation.
He asked the bishop to give a public evidence where his principal promised to publicly declare his assets if elected as president.
Adesina said: “I remember I was appointed on May 31, 2015, and when I resumed work on June 1, 2015, in a private meeting with the president, one of the first questions I asked him was this promise about the public declaration of asset. When are you doing it?
“And then he asked me, can you please show me where that promise was ever made? And lo and behold, we searched everywhere, there was no place where the president ever said he will do a public declaration and he told me, what does the law require? The law requires you to declare your assets and that is what I will do.
“Yet, since that year, they keep repeating that he promised a public declaration. Sir, can you tell Bishop Kukah that I challenge him to produce that promise by the president because the president stands by it till tomorrow that he never promised a public declaration.”
Earlier, author of the book, Ms Waziri, said there were assassination attempts on her while holding sway at the EFCC, saying she also lost her husband and daughter in one year while still serving at the commission.
