The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu (SAN) yesterday blasted the government of President Umaru Musa Yar'adua, saying the administration is not committed to the fight against corruption as it claimed, but rather harbours corrupt officials.
The NBA president who was addressing a press conference in Abuja alleged that: "The government of Yar'adua is comfortable in deceiving the people of this country and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN) presented himself as the most willing tool to be used in this process of deceit.
We are not mincing words to say that the government is not serious and Nigerians must take up the challenge and the bar is trying other measures with which to confront the government because, it appears that only what this government hear is a blunt confrontation", the NBA boss said.
Akeredolu lamented that the issue of corruption is still prominent in the nation's polity, pointing out that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) appear helpless in the fight against corruption.
Commenting on the Halliburton bribery scandal, the NBA boss said unless those involved in the scam are named before long, Nigeria's efforts at re-branding the image of the country would be rubbished before the outside world.
While noting that Aondoakaa's statement that the government awaits the release of the names of those involved in the scam from the American authorities should not be a ploy to sweep the matter under the carpet, the NBA president called on the federal government to ensure that the identities of all those involved are revealed now that part of the proceeds from the criminal act has been traced to the Swiss Bank.
"We recommend that the same means through which Abacha's loot was recovered by the previous administration should be employed to unmask the names behind the dedicated accounts in Zurich and wherever the money may have been lodged. This should not be difficult at all", he stated.
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