Fight against graft must continue, say Ribadu, Odekunle

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to shun critics and continue the anti-corruption war.

He said there would be no development in the country unless the system is cleaned up.

Ribadu argued that if the justice sector is purged of corruption, the nation’s economic policies would be effective.

Also, a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Femi Odekunle has said: “If we are to truly fight corruption we must go as far back as possible.”

However, former Deputy Governor, Economic Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Obadiah Mailafia says fighting corruption is not an economic policy but can only complement a coherent development strategy to boost growth and ensure long-term sustainable development.

Speaking at the October annual lecture of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Abuja with the theme, “Fighting corruption and growing a sustainable economy,” Ribadu insisted that the fight against corruption would aid economic recovery.

He said: “Whatever the odds, we still need to do this fight, we need to just close our eyes, it is a tough and difficult one. You are likely going to make mistakes, but the fundamental thing is the honesty, the integrity of trying to do what is good for our own people.”

The former EFCC boss added that it would be difficult for economic policies to work in a corrupt environment like Nigeria’s, insisting that except we the system is cleaned up, nothing would work.

Odekunle backed the raid on judges’ residence.

He said: “Humongous amounts of money were found in judges’ houses as if they were bank vaults. It is a shame that the National Judicial Commission (NJC) allowed the judges to resume. It is only on matters of corruption that they remember the rule of law.”