A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Enugu, Ejike Njeze, has dismissed recent media report claiming he implored the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Crimes Commission (ICPC) to beam its searchlight on the civil service.

According to Njeze, he was quoted out of context; saying the report was an attempt to cause confusion and mislead the public.

Briefing the media in Abuja yesterday, the APC chieftain said he warmly commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the singular introduction and sustenance of the anti-corruption fight as paramount in his administration’s success; noting that corruption in the public sector was a function of the kind of personalities elected or appointed into political offices.

He said: “Following reports that surfaced on various sections of the media claiming that a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) implored the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Crimes Commission (ICPC) to beam its searchlight on the civil service, my attention has been drawn to surprising speculations in some sections of the media that the statement was attributed to me..

“For the records, I granted an interview to select journalists in Abuja and commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the singular introduction and sustenance of the anti-corruption fight as paramount in his administration’s success.

“I did not implore any of the anti-graft agencies to target any specific individual or group of workers either in the public or private service.

“Linking my comments to the media reports that claimed I said corruption within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government needed to be addressed to eradicate the long-standing suffering of the people is an effort to cause confusion and mislead the public.

“It should be noted that corruption in the public sector is a function of the kind of personalities elected or appointed into political offices and not the civil servants who are largely neutral and anonymous in their service to our dear nation.

“I hereby call on the general public to disregard the speculative report.”

CC: lalasticlala