The Supreme Court of Nigeria will today, Tuesday, October 22 hear the suite filed by 16 State Governors challenging the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Government.
Headed by the Kogi State Governor, the Governors are challenging the constitutionality of the law establishing anti-graft agency.
IVNTV NEWS reports that Attorneys-General of 16 States have filed a suit at the Supreme Court against EFCC. They are arguing that in enacting the law which created EFCC in 2004, the National Assembly failed to adhere to section 12 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The section governs the incorporation of international treaties into domestic law.
The Governors further noted that the EFCC Act cannot be applied to States that did not give their consent to its creation.
The Supreme Court, however, fixed October 22 for the hearing of the case.
Recall that a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, has backed the position of the Governors in calling for the scraping of EFCC. He stated his position in the two letters addressed to the Constitution Review Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives.
However, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana and other civil society organizations have faulted the move by the States.
But in an interview with Channels Television on Monday, EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, expressed concern.
According to him, the agency is “worried and shocked” about the suit in view of the “corruption problem” in the country.
Uwujaren stated that those challenging EFCC legality are “feeling the heat” of anti-graft war. He added that the country cannot survive without the anti-graft commission.
The Director maintained that the establishment of the EFCC followed due process in the National Assembly.
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to reject the move to “derail” the operations of the agency.
“I am worried that with the kind of problem we have with corruption in this country, some people will go to court to challenge the legality of EFCC.
“What you see playing out today is simply people who are feeling the heat of the work of the EFCC. And they simply want to derail what is going on within the EFCC. They see EFCC as a threat”.
Uwujaren, therefore, urged Nigerians to see through the gimmick of those behind the suit.
He said, “We are really shocked by what is happening. Nigerians should see through this shenanigan and oppose it.
“I don’t see how this country can survive without the EFCC. With the kind of corruption problem that we have in this country. Nigeria cannot do without the EFCC”, he added.
source: Daily Trust
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