Corruption: EFCC Chairman Has Questions To Answer – Matawalle

Governor of Zamfara State Bello Muhammed Matawalle has called for the resignation of the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, AbdulRasheed Bawa, saying he has questions to answer on corruption issues.

The governor appealed to the federal government to probe Bawa and the activities of the commission under him.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the governor accused Bawa of corruptly enriching himself while asking the anti -raft boss to excuse himself and surrender for investigation.

Matawalle, who personally signed the statement, said he and some eminent Nigerians had evidence of corrupt practices, breach of public trust and abuse of office against Bawa, and said the commission led by Bawa had been largely abused.

A senior official of the state government confirmed to LEADERSHIP last night that his principal issued the statement.

Matawalle said Bawa needs to come clean on the way and manner he has prosecuted the anti-corruption fight, and should therefore explain how seized assets by the EFCC are being sold without adherence to due process.

He said: “Bawa should explain, for instance, how he has assumed the role of the plaintiff, prosecutor and jury and how he has executed his brand of plea bargaining with suspected criminals and saboteurs of the Nigerian economy and agenda who instead of being put on trial, are walking freely all over Nigeria.

“It is when the EFCC Chair does this and becomes open, non-selective and all-embracing with his invitation, that we will take him seriously.

“It is only then will serious-minded officers who have served the people selflessly and meritoriously and are not opposed to an examination of their books, and indeed Nigerians generally take him seriously.

“Without this, it is just a case of another person in government who has some explaining to do himself over allegations of corruption, high-handedness and abuse of office now asking others to account, by so doing, merely giving Nigerians a comic relief from the present challenging times they are experiencing”, Matawalle said.

The governor also charged Bawa to make his investigation holistic and not selective, saying that the recent invitations and pronouncement by the EFCC Chair is imbalance, incomplete, hypocritical and unnecessarily skewed.

He explained that Bawa’s action is counterproductive to the anti-corruption crusade, while doubting whether Bawa is actually committed to the anti-corruption war.

“In a bid to help the obvious knowledge-gap and inertia exhibited by the EFCC Chair, the probe should be all embracing and cover all officers.

“I demand that the EFCC chair extend similar invitations to officers of the Presidency and members of the Federal Executive Council, which is the highest tier of government in the country”, the governor noted.