ICPC members sworn in without chairman •He has questions to answer -Jonathan •How his inauguration was differed •President warns NDDC members against pilfering funds

Written by Taiwo Adisa and Leon Usigbe, Abuja
Wednesday, 30 November 2011


AS exclusively reported by the Nigerian Tribune, on Tuesday, President Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday, failed to swear in the designated chairman of the Board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Francis Elechi, because of pressure from concerned Nigerians, who are kicking against his appointment for the position.

At the scheduled ceremony  for the new chairman and members of the commission at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Jonathan shocked his audience by revealing that Elechi, though not dropped, would not be sworn in until allegations raised against him by unnamed callers to the president were investigated.

While the president swore in the members of the board and announced the appointment of one of them, Mr Nta Ekpo, as acting chairman, he explained that Elechi, who is from Rivers State could not be sworn in as a result of “disturbing calls,” he received.

Jonathan said “the chairman couldn’t follow the oath taking this morning, (yesterday) because from Wednesday last week, I started receiving disturbing calls and reports. And [for] a body like INEC, ICPC and EFCC, the president should be very careful about the opinions of people.”

According to him, “a minister can come in and go the next day, but INEC, EFCC and ICPC, you cannot gamble with them, and that is why when we were to inaugurate

the board of INEC, the same thing happened. There were protests that there were some PDP members. To make sure that people had a proper perception of INEC and to make sure that the perception is correct, we dropped those people.”



The president was quick to point out that Elechi had not been dropped, even before he was sworn in. He explained that he needed to be sure that the appropriate person had been appointed.

“I am not saying we are going to drop the chairman, but we are going to look into the reports we have and re-confirm,” he said, adding, “we do not do anything that will bring any stain to any of these bodies, no matter how painful [the tension] is to anybody.

“So the chairman is not taking his oath of office today, the SGF [Secretary to the Government of the Federation] will formally write a letter. But Nta Ekpo will act until we sort out the issue of the chairman. He will get a letter from the secretary of the government once we leave here.”


[b]Jonathan, who also swore in an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  commissioner from Ebonyi State, Lawrence Nwuruku, congratulated the new appointees on their appointment and on  their new responsibilities, saying that “both ICPC and INEC are extremely sensitive bodies that you are not only watched by Nigerians but also by the whole international community.”

He stressed that as a result of their new positions they had ceased to be ordinary people as the searchlight would now be beamed on their actions.

“The moment you travel out of this country, they will be beaming searchlight on you. That is the cross all of us have to carry until you leave the board. For INEC, we welcome you on board. I charge you to work with the chairman to ensure that subsequent elections are even better than what we had in April this year,” the president remarked.

Jonathan reminded them of the sensitive nature of their assignments and  buttressed his point by saying “I remember after the elections when I travelled out, some of the world leaders, who chatted with me said, ‘Jonathan, we are very happy with the elections you conducted in Nigeria, but the remaining thing is corruption.’”

He added that “yes, we have done well in election, but until the monster called corruption is dealt with in this country, we will still not get our appropriate place in the comity of nations. So, ICPC and EFCC are all bodies that must work day and night. That is why we took pains to select you. We believe that you will work very hard to complement what the EFCC is doing to bring down corruption.

“Please, that is the only thing that you will do that Nigerians, both at home and abroad, will be able to move with dignity and pride wherever they go.”[/b]


Members of the board of ICPC sworn in were:  Ekpo Nta; Alhaji Ado Bayero; Julie Onum Nwariku; Professor Olu Aina and Isa Ozi Salami.



However, what happe-ned to Elechi confirmed the story in the Nigerian Tri-bune of Tuesday, which indicated that his inaugu-ration ws threatened.

Sources had said on Monday that a number of intelligence groups had indicated that Elechi was a politically exposed person (PEP).

It was learnt that Elechi was excused by security men at the gate of the Presidential Villa and was asked to come back later in the day.

It was, however, confir-med on Tuesday that the government, in suspending Elechi’s inauguration, liste-ned to submissions of local and international anti-graft insiders who probed into his personality.

Sources confirmed that the new enquiry ordered by the president would be carried out by top security chiefs who will be provided the barometers.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has warned mem-bers of the newly constituted board of Niger Delta Deve-lopment Commission (NDDC) against stealing its funds to further their indi-vidual political ambitions.

Speaking at the inaugu-ration of the board in the State House, on Tuesday, he advised them to learn from the mistakes of their prede-cessors and avoid playing politics with their jobs.

According to him, “the past board was camping all kinds of criminals in hotels in the name of helping politicians. If I hear that, I will be very angry with you.

“Before this time, any-body who gets into NDDC wants to be governor of a state. I am beginning to see fight between actors in the NDDC and their states. This time round, we feel that we have to select people who we don’t know their political interests, because we want people who will go and develop the place.

“The day you feel you want to be the governor of your state or a senator, please let us know early enough, so that you can leave NDDC and pursue your political career. You can’t combine the two, because it is a sensitive body.”

He warned that “I don’t want to hear of NDDC camping political thugs in Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt or any other hotels in Port Harcourt. It has happened over the period and I will no longer accept it.”

Jonathan reminded them that Niger Delta issues were not just Nigerian issues, but issues of global interest, with high expectations.

In his remark, the chair-man of the new board, Dr Tarilah Tebepah, assured President Jonathan that its members would work together as a team, to meet the expectations of Nigerians, especially the people of the Niger Delta.

Other members of the board are Mr Edward Orubo; Dr Christian A. Obo; Dr Ibitamuno Aminigo; Chief Solomon Ogba; Mr L.E.J. Konboye; Mr Imaobong Johnson; Mr Edikan Eshett and Mr Aloysius Nwagboso.

The board also has Mr Omogbemi Oladele; Mr Peter Ezeobi; Mr Dominic Aqua Edem; Mr Osabon Imaru; Mr Joe Jakpa; Senator Garba Yakubu Lado; Rima Sha-wulu Kwewum; Senator Tunde Ogbeha; Minister of State (Finance) and Minister of Environment as members.


http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/32070-icpc-members-sworn-in-without-chairman-he-has-questions-to-answer-jonathan-how-his-inauguration-was-differed-president-warns-nddc-members-against-pilfering-funds