The National Coalition of Civil Society Organisations has urged President Bola Tinubu to address unresolved corruption cases and ensure their proper prosecution.
While extending their congratulations to the new president, the group emphasised the importance of the Tinubu administration’s efforts in combating corruption and financial crimes.
During a press briefing in Abuja, the national secretary of the group, Comrade Femi Osabinu, specifically highlighted the case of former minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah, who is currently facing allegations of fraud.
Osabinu said they believed that taking decisive action in this regard will provide a clear direction for the country over the next four years.
Oduah is standing trial alongside eight others on multiple charges, including conspiracy, money laundering, and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with First Bank Plc.
He said, “As a not-for-profit non-governmental organisation comprising patriotic Nigerians, our unwavering commitment to ensuring that public funds allocated for the betterment of our citizens are used judiciously and accounted for necessitates our active involvement in the face of this blatant alleged misappropriation of our collective wealth.”
He further expressed disappointment in the prolonged proceedings of the corruption case involving Senator Oduah and others before Justice Ekwo at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Osabinu described it as a significant disgrace to the anti-corruption campaign of the APC-led federal government and a blemish on the judiciary’s reputation.
He stressed the international community’s keen interest in observing the outcome of the matter, citing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and global anti-corruption agencies as key observers.
Osabinu called on President Tinubu to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to ensure the proper arraignment of Oduah for the prompt resolution of the fraud charges pressed against her by the federal government.
Furthermore, he urged President Tinubu to initiate an independent investigation into the reasons why Senator Stella Oduah and her co-defendants have not been brought to trial for nearly 30 months.
He said this is despite the EFCC concluding its investigations and filing the case of conspiracy, money laundering, and maintaining anonymous bank accounts against them at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
