March 24, (THEWILL) – The Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, has said that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), must be apolitical in fighting against corruption in the country.
Adedimeji disclosed this at the 19th Founder’s Day Celebration of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, held at the school premises over the weekend, with the theme “Deconstructing the challenges of Nigeria’s Economic Reforms: Options and Opportunities”.
He said that it was high time the two anti-graft agencies fully lived up to their tasks in going after corrupt individuals or politicians no matter how highly placed they are in society to combat corruption problems in the country that have negatively affected every area of socio-economic growth.
The VC urged President Bola Tinubu not to use EFCC and ICPC to play politics in favour of any high office holders in his cabinet or members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and not to use the anti-graft agencies to threaten opposing party members to decamp his party for political gain.
He maintained any individual or politician found culpable of crimes in the position of office should be made to face the full wrath of the law irrespective of his position or the people the culprits know at the corridor of power, insisting that if EFCC and ICPC are allowed to fully function independently, the corruption in the country would be a thing of the past.
Adedimeji said, “We have to increase our institutional capacity to combat the problems we have with the law enforcement system I mentioned the role of EFCC, the EFCC should be apolitical, the ICPC should be apolitical, they should be able to do their work without fear or favour.
“When you know that regardless of who you know, regardless of the government in power this institution will do their work as they are supposed to do. People are going to sit up when you empower the police so that when the policeman arrests them, you know that you are going to face the full wrath of the law, not that you are going to pay something to somebody and at the end of the day your neck is off the hook”, he added.
Earlier, The Chairman Board of Trustees, Crescent University, Prince Ma’ruf Ajibola, said that corruption is now a way of life among citizens of the country, especially those in positions of power, lamenting that corruption had done Nigeria no good but set the the country back in the comity of nations.
“Corruption is too explicit in our way of life, we see it as nothing, I think the lecture is an instrument of progress in life”, Ajibola noted
The Vice-Chancellor of Crescent University, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, praised the founder’s vision in their separate speeches, noting that the founder, Prince Bola Ajibola dedicated his wealth to establishing the university in 2005 with the aim of enhancing human capacity development in Nigeria.
The university also gave awards to dignitaries, including the Late Towulade of Akinale, Owu Kingdom, Ọba Olufemi Ogunleye; The Odofin of Egbaland Chief Kolawole Akintoye and a movie producer, Mr Adesegun Akinlotan for their commitment to humanitarian services.
