Waziri’s Sack: The U.S Connection
- By Williams Ekanem
- Published November 28th, 2011
- News
- Unrated
As several reasons are being advanced for the removal of Mrs Farida Waziri as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) last week, the United States connection became even more plausible.
Findings carried out in Washington D.C show that the Jonathan administration may have shoved Fadira Waziri’s continued headship of the anti corruption body aside to make room for a smooth run of the US-Nigeria Binational commission which is into its second year.
The US-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) is the flagship agreement for bilateral cooperation between the two countries launched on April 16, 2010 in Washington D.C to assist Nigeria in four distinct areas of advancing good governance, promoting energy access and reliability, improving food security and dealing with extremism.
With great success in its first year and the US taking the lead in pivoting working toward a strong anticorruption agency in its second year, the chairman of the agency just has got to go.
Indications to this fact emerged on September 29, 2011 during the maiden meeting between Nigeria’s foreign minister Olugbenga Ashiru and US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.
Addressing the press after a closed door meeting between both the two, US Secretary of State said that, “we are working toward a strong anticorruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and other ways we can promote transparency.”
“As we continue our close cooperation through the second year of our Binational Commission, we will set forth our priorities, and they include improving governance, fighting corruption, and delivering services more effectively to the people,” Clinton pointed out.
Giving reasons for the US position, she stated that, “economic development is key; Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with the largest population in Africa and strong trading relationships. We want to see Nigeria prosper and grow. To this end, the United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation, OPIC, has just approved $250 million in financing to help revitalize the Union Bank of Nigeria, and to reach previously un-banked people in Nigeria. And we will look for ways to support Nigeria as it reduces inequality and builds a broader base for prosperity.”
It would be recalled that on her visit to Nigeria in August 2009, Clinton, expressed concern about Nigeria’s anti-graft war, saying the EFCC had “fallen off in the last two years”. Also earlier in the year, the US reportedly wrote to complain about some discoveries of impropriety in the conduct of some senior officials of the anti-graft agency inside the U.S.”
Waziri was appointed EFCC Chairman by Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on 18 May 2008 and confirmed by the Senate nine days later, replacing pioneer Chair Nuhu Ribadu.
President Goodluck Jonathan last week approved the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde as the Acting Chairman/Chief Executive of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This followed the sacking of Farida Waziri as EFCC Chairman after serving for about three years.
The move which caught many by surprise, has put an end to several months of speculations about the future of Waziri as the person in-charge at the anti-graft Agency.
Findings carried out in Washington D.C show that the Jonathan administration may have shoved Fadira Waziri’s continued headship of the anti corruption body aside to make room for a smooth run of the US-Nigeria Binational commission which is into its second year.
The US-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) is the flagship agreement for bilateral cooperation between the two countries launched on April 16, 2010 in Washington D.C to assist Nigeria in four distinct areas of advancing good governance, promoting energy access and reliability, improving food security and dealing with extremism.
With great success in its first year and the US taking the lead in pivoting working toward a strong anticorruption agency in its second year, the chairman of the agency just has got to go.
Indications to this fact emerged on September 29, 2011 during the maiden meeting between Nigeria’s foreign minister Olugbenga Ashiru and US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.
Addressing the press after a closed door meeting between both the two, US Secretary of State said that, “we are working toward a strong anticorruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and other ways we can promote transparency.”
“As we continue our close cooperation through the second year of our Binational Commission, we will set forth our priorities, and they include improving governance, fighting corruption, and delivering services more effectively to the people,” Clinton pointed out.
Giving reasons for the US position, she stated that, “economic development is key; Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with the largest population in Africa and strong trading relationships. We want to see Nigeria prosper and grow. To this end, the United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation, OPIC, has just approved $250 million in financing to help revitalize the Union Bank of Nigeria, and to reach previously un-banked people in Nigeria. And we will look for ways to support Nigeria as it reduces inequality and builds a broader base for prosperity.”
It would be recalled that on her visit to Nigeria in August 2009, Clinton, expressed concern about Nigeria’s anti-graft war, saying the EFCC had “fallen off in the last two years”. Also earlier in the year, the US reportedly wrote to complain about some discoveries of impropriety in the conduct of some senior officials of the anti-graft agency inside the U.S.”
Waziri was appointed EFCC Chairman by Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on 18 May 2008 and confirmed by the Senate nine days later, replacing pioneer Chair Nuhu Ribadu.
President Goodluck Jonathan last week approved the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde as the Acting Chairman/Chief Executive of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This followed the sacking of Farida Waziri as EFCC Chairman after serving for about three years.
The move which caught many by surprise, has put an end to several months of speculations about the future of Waziri as the person in-charge at the anti-graft Agency.
