A Civil Society Organization, Nigeria Integrity Movement (NIM), has warned that attempts from any quarter to stop the assent of the Chartered Institute of Forensic Investigate Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPIN)bill would spell doom for the age long corruption in public and private sectors in Nigeria.
The bill has been transmitted to the Executive after passage by the National Assembly, but the civil society group said the Auditor-General of the Federation Mr Aghughu Arhotomhenla felt threatened by what was supposed to complement his effort, adding that he was presently sabotaging the bill not to be signed.
Convener of the group, Mr. Kayode Esan, speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, alleged that the Auditor General of the Federation was sabotaging the proposed CIFIPN, saying there was no justification for that as there’s conflict of interest.
“According to the proposed bill, the new institute, when passed by the legislators and assented by Mr President, will address the various loopholes that are exploited by people in both public and private sector shortchanged by the system. In fact, this bill is coming at a time when the fight against corruption has gone technological thus the need to apply technology in the fight against corruption in any form or shape.
No doubt Mr President is intensifying the war against corruption and economic sabotage by those who don’t have the interest of the country at heart; and CIFIPN in this regard is a child of necessity”, Mr Esan stated.
Mr Esan wondered why the office of the Auditor-General, that is supposed to be the vanguard in the fight against graft and illicit exploitation of the system for personal and selfish aggrandizement, will turn around to be the clog in the wheel rather than collaborate with men of good reasoning and intention to nip corruption on the bud.
“It is preposterous that the opposition to the CIFIPN bill is coming from the office of Auditor-General – an institution that is naturally mandated to promote ideas and initiatives that will block leakages”, Mr Esan lamented.
It will be in the best interest of Mr Aghughu and other officers at the AGF’s office to tow the path of honor by giving support to this bill because history, Nigeria Integrity Movement and Nigerians will hold them accountable should the bill suffer a setback as a result of their opposition.”
The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders to be wary of any move that will undermine his administration’s anti-corruption project
