More anti-corruption civil society organisations, Wednesday in Lagos, joined over 120 CSOs to continue with the agitation for the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa.
They had uncovered plans by the EFCC boss to hurriedly raise what they called questionable groups all in the name of CSOs to protest in his solidarity.
The activists, their members and supporters, who, again, trooped out on the streets of Lagos in their thousands, alleging uncovered plans by the anti-graft agency’s boss to hire CSOs to counter the protests, stressing that, “unfortunately for Bawa, Nigerians are aware of what the fight against corruption had turned to in Nigeria under his leadership at the EFCC”.
According to them, lavishing money on groups willing to be used against the wellbeing of Nigerians and the rule of law would not save him from being removed as the EFCC boss.
The CSOs, who had petitioned the National Assembly against what they described as the “Politicisation of the EFCC, Disobedience of Court Orders, and Infringement on Human Rights of Nigerians”, said they were rugged anti-corruption and pro-democracy activists, who had been in the struggle for over 30 years and would continue the ‘Bawa Must Go’ protest until he leaves office.
Director, Activists for Good Governance, Declan Ihehaire, who had been vocal from the first day of the protests, said, “We are rugged, patriotic activists who will not bow to any intimidation. Struggle is not new to us and we cannot be bought by anybody. When we believe in a cause, especially when it is in the interest of the majority of Nigerians and the fight against corruption, we will give it our all.
“Bawa has continued to display disregard for the rule of law, even with the latest outburst of the EFCC in a press conference. He should stop chasing shadows. He is not bigger than the law and no one can intimidate us. When you see Debo Adeniran, Sanchez-Jude, Ayo Ologun and co leading a struggle, you must know that it is a just one. We come out in the sun to press home our demands for you to know how serious this matter is.”
“This is technically the 6th day because we rested on Sunday. There is no retreat no surrender. Bawa must vacate the office, no matter who is behind him. Many Nigerians supported President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 because they knew his anti-corruption stance. See what that has become now – an embarrassment. EFCC has derailed, it is now politicised, and we say Bawa must excuse us so that a right thinking official can come in to sanitise the system and truly serve Nigerians,” he added.
