*Chairman, Commissioners Disagree

*Okonjo-Iweala Moves To Downsize

By Jide Ajani, Deputy Editor

Barring any last-minute maneuvering, Sunday Vanguard can report that the case by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, against the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a source of disquiet between federal commissioners of the bureau and its chairman, Mr. Sam Saba.

And as part of the insistence by the finance minister and head of the economic team, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that small government is the way to go, the CCB, like some other agencies of government, has received a letter from the Federal Government asking it to justify the rationale for its continued existence.

This signposts part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s policy to reduce the cost of governance.

Tinubu puts them asunder

Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed that the nine commissioners of the CCB are not comfortable with the approach of their chairman in his handling of the case against the former governor of Lagos State.

Their angst, it was learnt, is hinged on the premise that the sudden arraignment of Tinubu did not “enjoy the benefit of a thorough briefing or discussion at the bureau before it got to the public domain”, a source disclosed.

Sunday Vanguard investigations in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, penultimate week, revealed that the commissioners in the CCB are not in total agreement with the chairman, on many fronts apart from the Tinubu case.

In fact, preparatory to last Wednesday’s arraignment of Tinubu before the CCT, the chairman and his commissioners were engaged in several meetings.

ACN Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, in Abuja on Wednesday, 21/09/11.



The first one held on Thursday, September 15, 2011, and it was at the behest of the commissioners. The commissioners had hoped to thoroughly examine the case against Tinubu but a source at the bureau informed that this did not happen.

Among the commissioners, it was discovered that the Tinubu case “was more of a move which emanated from discussions between the CCB chairman and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN. I can tell you that the commissioners in the bureau were not aware”, a source said.

The commissioners held another meeting the following day, Friday, September 16, 2011.

Sunday Vanguard actually wanted to go to press with developments in the CCB penultimate week in anticipation of an interview with the AGF, with a view to seeking some clarifications, but stepped down the story. Unfortunately, the proposed interview could not hold because the AGF was very busy and was also said to be preparing to travel to New York, USA, with the president.

Funds for the payment of the prosecuting lawyer, Alex Izinyon, which runs into millions of naira, it was alleged would be made available from outside the CCB.

Unconfirmed reports point in the direction of the Presidency for the funds.

Tinubu aside, it was discovered that there are growing concerns that even the forms meant to be readily available for public officers to fill for asset declaration are sometimes hoarded by clerical officers of the bureau .

In deed, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that, as a public officer, you must, among other things, fill the asset declaration form and you cannot operate and maintain an account outside Nigeria.

Section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 LFN, 2004, as amended, talks about that; by operating such account, an offence punishable under section 23(2) thereof as incorporated under paragraph 18, part 1, fifth Schedule to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, would have been committed

DOWNSIZING
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the CCB, like other agencies of the Federal Government, has been requested to justify the basis for its continued existence.

It was gathered that, penultimate Thursday, the CCB received a letter to that effect from the Presidency.
Information available suggests that the frenzied meetings of the bureau, penultimate week, were also not unconnected with the letter.

Lately, there has been hue and cry that government should downsize to enable it carry out capital projects.
The finance minister, Okonjo-Iweala, had, on assumption of office, hinted that one of her priorities would be to assist in downsizing.

Many other agencies of government are said to have received the same letter.
In fact, last week, Jonathan and members of his cabinet had to hold a special meeting at night where the finance minister reportedly briefed the EXCOF on what should be expected of her management of the economy.

At press time, it could not be confirmed whether the letter sent to the CCB has any linkage with the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that its anti-corruption drive enjoys the benefit of a united front.