Waziri performed well, her removal was political — Tsav

TWENTY- FOUR hours after Mrs Farida Waziri’s unceremonious removal as the chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by President Goodluck Jonathan, the polity was awash, yesterday, with debates on whether or not her exit would boost the anti-graft war.
Most persons who spoke to Vanguard averred that instead of bolstering the anti-corruption crusade, the way she was sacked could hamper the efforts.
Indeed, the Human Rights Watch, HRW, said in a statement that Waziri’s removal would not improve the fight against corruption.

Farida Waziri, former Chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commisssion.

While former National Publicity Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, Mr Ayo Opadokun, said Waziri had been made a sacrificial lamb; former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said Waziri performed well as EFCC boss and that her removal was political.
Other personalities, who spoke on the issue yesterday include Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Prince Tony Momoh; legal icon, Robert Clarke, SAN; former chairman NBA Ikeja Branch, Dave Ajetunmobi; President, Itsekiri Peace and Unity Foundation Trust, Mrs Roli Inoniyegha; and public analyst, Mohammed Arubayi.
Firing Waziri won’t fix EFCC – HRW
According HRW, the sudden dismissal of Nigeria’s controversial anti-corruption chairman would not fix the troubled EFCC she led unless the government carry out broad institutional reforms.
Rather than sacking the EFCC boss, it noted that the commission was facing broader institutional failures such as executive interference and judiciary inefficiency, which it contended must be addressed, if the commission was to improve its anti-corruption record.
It said: “The EFCC’s mandate is to fight corruption that the political system actually rewards, and to accomplish that by working through institutions that are either broken or compromised.”
Source