He went ahead to make sweeping claim that Lamorde’s failure to submit the
report was indicative that the EFCC Chief Executive is as much a fraud as the
people he is pretending to be chasing about.
These are weighty and unsavoury conclusions which cannot be ignored,
coming as they are from a columnist of Olumhense’s pedigree. Olumhense has over
the years showed less than a passing interest in the fight against corruption
In Nigeria. His interventions, through well considered and far-sighted
commentaries have been invaluable. Indeed, he is considered a respected
voice from the Diaspora, one of those who truly desire genuine change and
positive development in Nigeria
However on this occasion, he falls miserably short of his own high
standard by publishing an article that is anything but factual.
In the first place, Olumhense’s hubris is completely unfounded as it is
predicated on a faulty foundation. The EFCC under Lamorde has not violated any
law that it is supposed to comply with. Contrary to Olumhense’s claims, the Commission
duly submitted its 2011 Annual Report to the National Assembly as demanded
by Section 37 of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004. That section of the Act
states, that “”the Commission shall, not later than 30th September
in each year, submit to the National Assembly, a report of its activities
during the immediately preceding year and shall include in such report the
audited account of the Commission”. This was done.
It is curious that a journalist of Olumhense’s experience made no
attempt to verify his fact before publishing. In this instance, he neither sought
to know from the Commission whether it had submitted the annual report
nor did he verify from the National Assembly whether it was in receipt of
the report. Had he done so, he would have saved himself the embarrassment of an
article that is flawed and misleading.
Apparently Olumhense appeared fixated in his anticipation of the report,
that he mistook the absence of ceremony in the fulfilment this statutory
requirement as evidence of non-compliance.
Olumhense completely ruined what should have been an excellent treatise
on the way forward in the anti- graft campaign by allowing his emotion to get
the better of him over the issue of the EFCC Annual Report. But his
anger was completely misplaced. Olumhense surely owes Lamorde an apology for
doubting his professionalism. Everything the EFCC Chairman has done since he
took the reins of the Commission’s leadership has been tailored towards
restoring the Commission’s moral and professional integrity. From recalling
some of the crack investigators that were asked to leave the Commission in
its meltdown years, to investigating and prosecuting officers with integrity
issues, to running integrity checks on all serving officers; Lamorde has had
one thing in mind: Restoring the professional health of the Commission.
The result of this initiative is evident even to cynics. Many of the
International partners that abandoned the commission in its testy years are
back. The Commission now enjoys the confidence of law enforcement organizations
around the globe, opening up fresh windows of cooperation and collaboration
that have strengthened the fight against economic crimes and corruption in
Nigeria.
More than 160 cases were investigated and charged to court in Lamorde’s
first six months in charge, earning more than 30 convictions for the
Commission. Some of the cases especially the ones relating to the mega scam in
the oil subsidy regime affect highly influential individuals.
These are not the imprimatur of an anti-graft czar that “is as much a fraud as any of the people he is pretending
to be chasing around”. Haba,
Sonala!
There is no promise Lamorde has made
concerning his current job which he has abandoned. Of course, those who have
been carried away by the theatrics and drama that the Commission had come to be
associated with in the recent past, may find it difficult to appreciate the
professionalism of the EFCC under Lamorde. The era of high drama, the era of
simply showing off and blowing hot air is gone. Real law enforcement the world
over is serious business, and not one to be conducted on the pages of
newspapers and television studios.
Mr. Sonala Olumhense: EFCC
submitted its 2011 Annual Report, right on schedule to the two chambers of the
Nigerian National Assembly, Thursday, 27th September, 2012.
No fanfare. No drama. Run your checks and…apologise not just to
Lamorde and his team that you so savaged in that piece, but to the millions of
Nigerians who hang on to your every word, who you have unfortunately let down
and led astray this time!
EFCC Head Media, Wilson Uwujaren
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