FG withdraws nominations of 2 ICPC members over corruption allegations

Barely seven days after their appointment into the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Federal Government has withdrawn the nominations of two of the 14 newly-appointed Board Members of the Commission over their involvement in alleged corrupt practices.

The affected duo, Maimuna Aliyu and Sa’ad Alanamu were on Tuesday appointed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo as commissioners of the anti-graft agency, but were yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

But the nominations was greeted with serious allegations of bribery, abused of office, misappropriation and diversion of public funds.

A closed source at the Presidency told the Daily Times that the nominations of the newly-appointed commissioners of ICPC have been withdrawn following a report that they were being probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the ICPC.

An International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), had exposed the alleged fraudulent activities perpetrated by the two appointees.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Acting President, Laolu Akande, in a series of tweets on Sunday, also said that the government had confirmed that Aliyu and Alanamu were undergoing probe.

Akande had tweeted thus, “We are stepping down 2 of the new ICPC board nominees who have ongoing investigation issues with the commission as this presents a conflict.

“This case presents a peculiarity as we have confirmed 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‘ll always do the right thing.

“While existence of allegations or petitions against someone shouldn’t necessarily disqualify them from considerations for appointments…”

The Daily Times recalls that while Alanamu was being investigated on corruption charges allegedly committed when he headed several institutions in Kwara State, Aliyu has a longstanding case of abuse of office, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds against her.

The newspaper also garthered that charges were already being prepared against Maimuna Aliyu by the ICPC in preparation to taking her to court when her name was announced as a member of the new board of the commission.

Apart from the ICPC investigation, it was further gathered that the EFCC and the Nigeria Police have investigated several corruption cases against Aliyu, a former Executive Director of the Aso Savings and Loans.

According to sources, in May, a police investigative report indicted Maimuna Aliyu and recommended her for prosecution.

The investigative report dated May 31, 2017, and signed by Taiwo Oyewale, a Superintendent of Police, for the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGP Monitoring Unit, said that Aliyu illegally converted to personal use a total of N58 million being proceeds of three plots of land belonging to her employers, Aso Savings and Loans.