Politics: Corruption: Don’t Use Me As Example – Akpabio Tells New EFCC Chair

By The Evangelist News edition, Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Admin.

Akpabio’s comment, which threw the entire House into laughter, came during the screening of Olukoyede by members of the Senate.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asked the newly-confirmed chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, not to use him as an example in the anti-corruption fight.

He made the statement on Wednesday while confirming him.

Akpabio’s comment, which threw the entire House into laughter, came during the screening of Olukoyede by members of the Senate.

Olukoyede, while making a presentation on investigating a graft case, cited the senate president but suddenly stopped after noticing the mood of the members.

“If we are investigating the Senate President for example…” Olukoyede said, but failed to complete his statement due to the mood of the lawmakers.

Reacting, Akpabio said, “I’m very glad that the nominee wants to use the Senate President as an example. But Mr nominee, leave the Senate President for now; look at this direction (pointing at the seats of opposition lawmakers).”

Subsequently, Olukoyede made his presentation without calling names. He said, “If you are fighting corruption, you become the enemy of everybody.”

Recall that the drama may not be unconnected to the fact that Akpabio is having a case of misappropriation of about N108.1 billion before the EFCC.

There were reports in April 2021 that the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs was detained over alleged attempts to bribe the agency’s former boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, with a sum of $350,000.