CACOL condemns alleged underhand dealings to withdraw petition before EFCC
The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has condemned the alleged demand for a sum of N50mn (Fifty Million Naira) by two Human Rights Activists, Dandy Eze (President of the Path of Peace Initiatives) and one Solomon Johnson,
to help facilitate the withdrawal of a petition written against Wahum Nigeria Limited and currently being investigated by the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) according to a newspapers report on Monday.
In a Release issued by CACOL’s Coordinator of Media and Publications, Adegboyega Otunuga, on behalf of the organisation’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, he remarked, “It is a trite saying that, ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands’, and what this means is that, as a whistleblower, you cannot afford to blow hot and cold at the same time.
“The two accomplices in this matter were said to have written a petition to the Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, EFCC, sometime last year (2018) and in the process of the anti-graft agency’s investigation of the crux of the petition, it was discovered that these same Activists had, in the course of petitioning, approached the management of same company under investigation, to solicit for ‘settlement’ to make them have a change of heart and request for a withdrawal.
“As an anti-graft organisation, CACOL decries any untoward attitude that could undermine the fight against corruption, a social malaise we all agreed has done serious damage to the psyche of the nation and that is probably singularly responsible for most of our woes as a nation. It is in the light of this that we deem it fit to condemn such contradictory acts, especially from those we believe should know better as you cannot use corruption to fight corruption.
“It is also instructive to warn that efforts should be made by relevant authorities towards ensuring that possibilities of any set-up or blackmail are avoided so as not to bring into disrepute or disdain, the collective fight against corruption by both the government agencies and the Civil Society,” the group said. Patrick Okohue
In a Release issued by CACOL’s Coordinator of Media and Publications, Adegboyega Otunuga, on behalf of the organisation’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, he remarked, “It is a trite saying that, ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands’, and what this means is that, as a whistleblower, you cannot afford to blow hot and cold at the same time.
“The two accomplices in this matter were said to have written a petition to the Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, EFCC, sometime last year (2018) and in the process of the anti-graft agency’s investigation of the crux of the petition, it was discovered that these same Activists had, in the course of petitioning, approached the management of same company under investigation, to solicit for ‘settlement’ to make them have a change of heart and request for a withdrawal.
“As an anti-graft organisation, CACOL decries any untoward attitude that could undermine the fight against corruption, a social malaise we all agreed has done serious damage to the psyche of the nation and that is probably singularly responsible for most of our woes as a nation. It is in the light of this that we deem it fit to condemn such contradictory acts, especially from those we believe should know better as you cannot use corruption to fight corruption.
“It is also instructive to warn that efforts should be made by relevant authorities towards ensuring that possibilities of any set-up or blackmail are avoided so as not to bring into disrepute or disdain, the collective fight against corruption by both the government agencies and the Civil Society,” the group said. Patrick Okohue
