Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chair, Mr. Ekpo Nta yesterday asked newly-elected members of state Houses of Assembly to shun corruption or face the consequences.
He also urged the lawmakers to avoid scrambling for contract awards.
He said if the lawmakers engage in corruption, the law will take its course.
Nta, who warned the lawmakers at an induction course for them by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) in Abuja, said it is a corrupt act for lawmakers to dabble in Executive functions.
He said: “As members of the National Assembly, you will be under very severe pressure to undermine all the provisions of the laudable laws you have passed or will pass.
“Your constituencies will remind you constantly that you are here through their votes and that in return, you must fund all their future marriages, naming ceremonies, burials, provision of scholarships, potable water and electricity, jobs in selected government offices either as your PA or full time employment.
“It is the position of the law that the lawmakers themselves made and made certain Acts punishable under the law and we are not the one who will punish.
“We simply present the facts to the court that this is what has happened in this instance, and the court will decide whether we were right or they were right in doing it”.
“What I’m saying is that I’m giving you an advice now, if you take that advice, we will remain friends but if you don’t take that advice and do things which under the law are not correct, we will now have to invite you to come and address us on petitions we have received in respect of an infraction”.
He said the practice whereby lawmakers lobby for contracts and appointments amounted to abuse of public office for private gain.
But Nta challenged the lawmakers to hold ministries, departments and agencies accountable to improve the living standard of Nigerians.
He added: “All the roads leading to your communities must be tarred, and if already tarred provided with street lights, sponsor medical treatments abroad or locally. How do you intend to fund all these activities? The answer is yours to provide.
“How can you provide all these? Hold all the agencies that should provide social services strictly accountable by demanding accountability and openness.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde said the commission will have to apply Section 7 of the establishment Act if it is noticed that any legislator lives beyond his or her means.
He added that it will be easy for the EFCC to move into such a situation without petitions since the income of legislators is no secret.”
He described the establishment of the Commission in 2003 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as one of the major steps towards the rebirth of the nation.
Lamorde stated that prior to the establishment of the EFCC, Nigeria’s image in the international community had been dented owing to economic and financial crimes perpetrated by some individuals and organizations.
He said Nigeria had been synonymous with money laundering, weak law enforcement and ‘419’ before the creation of EFCC.
The EFCC chairman, who spoke through the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah, said the war against corruption and other economic crimes by the EFCC contributed to the de-listing of Nigeria from the FATF blacklist of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories (NCCTs).
He listed some of the commission’s achievements including “robust enforcement of economic and financial crimes, anti-money laundering law, routing of notorious ‘419’ and engendering renewed inflow of Foreign Direct Investments.”
