By Abdullahi M. Gulloma Abuja
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday dropped the two new members nominated to be on the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Off ences Commission, said to be under corruption probe by the commission. Last week, Osinbajo named a new Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption and board members for the commission, alongside other agencies whose boards were constituted.
Owasanoye took over from Ekpo Nta, who was redeployed to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. On the new ICPC board are Dr. Grace N. Chinda, Okolo Titus M., Obiora Igwedebia, Mrs. Olubukola Balogun, Group Capt. Sam Ewang (retd.), Justice Adamu Bello, Hannatu Mohammed and Abdullahi Maikano Saidu. Others are Dr. Sa’ad Alanamu, Yahaya Umar Daud, Khamis Ahmed Mailantarki, Maimuna Aliyu while Prof. Musa Usman Abubakar would serve as secretary.
Th e chairman’s appointment is for fi ve years, while all the members have a four-year tenure. All the appointments are subject to Senate confi rmation. But shortly after the announcement, there were media reports that two of the nominees namely; Dr. Sa’ad Alanamu and Maimuna Aliyu were under probe by the ICPC. Confi rming the new status of the aff ected members, Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, disclosed on his Twitter handle on Sunday that the nomination had been stepped down.
He said this followed the confi rmation that nominees were being investigated by the agency they were to serve, saying the situation presented a confl ict of interest. Akande wrote, “We are stepping down two of the new ICPC board nominees who have ongoing investigation issues with the commission as this presents a confl ict. “While existence of allegations or petitions against someone shouldn’t necessarily disqualify them (six) from considerations for appointments, this case presents a peculiarity as we have confi rmed that the agency in which they are to serve is indeed investigating the two of them.
“A basic check showed no court convictions against them. But when weighty petitions come up, this administration will always do the right thing.”
