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The Ondo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, said the leadership of the state House of Assembly has perfected plans to hurriedly pass into law the state Anti-corruption bill forwarded to the on 23rd December, 2021 some two weeks ago.
This was contained in a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, who said the party supported the moves to stamp out corruption in the state but frowned over the speedy process of the bill.
According to the party, there was no need for the hasty process of the bill if the intentions are genuine and transparently honest, pointing out that the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and his family are irredeemably soaked in the sea of corruption.
Peretei however, said the anti-corruption bill set to be passed by the State Assembly was designed to protect the governor and his family from being investigated.
The statement read: The Ondo State House of Assembly under the incompetent and rudderless leadership of Rt. Honourable David Oloyelogun has perfected plans to hurriedly pass the Ondo State Anti-corruption bill forwarded to the State Assembly on 23rd December, 2021. Barring any last-minute intervention, the bill will be passed into law this week.
“The bill tagged ” A Bill for a law to establish the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crime and Anti-corruption Commission and others connected thereto 2021″ was carefully crafted to give sweeping exclusive powers to the Agency in matters of corruption in the State.
“The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State Chapter is in full support of institutional framework to stamp out corruption in the state if only the intentions are genuine and transparently honest”.
The party noted that “The Rotimi Akeredolu government has in several ways demonstrated that, it is irredeemably soaked in the sea of corruption, especially his family. He can, therefore, not go behind the door to institute laws as a subterfuge for his activities to circumvent the law.
“Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the proposed law states inter alia “The Commission shall upon the commencement of this law, take over the investigation of all Anti-corruption and Financial crimes cases involving the finances and assets of Ondo State government being; investigated by any other agency”. Section 14(4) states; “the agency shall cause an investigation to be conducted into the properties of any public servant (s) within the jurisdiction of the state; if it appears to the Commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by the person’s legitimate source of income”.
“The powers are given to the Attorney General of the state to regulate the operations of the Commission, if the bill is passed all point to a subtle legal cover to do more unthinkable damage to the treasury of the state.
“Given the antecedents of David Oloyelogun and the Ondo State 9th Assembly, there is nothing to expect other than a speedy passage of this bill. But we owe it a duty to inform the Ondo State people of this new move to provide cover for criminality”
But while reacting, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the opposition party lacks understanding about the bill and needed to be enlightened, saying the bill ought to have been passed over a year ago
Ojogo said: “The party’s latest attacks on Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration has exposed its ignorance.
“Specifically, the PDP’s claim that an anti-corruption bill is set to be passed by the State Assembly to allegedly protect the Governor and his family from wrongdoings is not only preposterous but laughable.
” It exposes the level of seriousness of a supposed opposition bereft of ideas, unwilling to obtain facts and self-cabined against information”
Ojogo explained that “the Bill for a law to establish the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crime and Anti-corruption Commission and others connected thereto 2021 was deliberated upon at the level of the State Executive Council but was stepped down for wider consultations.
“At the moment, the memo has not received any Exco approval, and has, therefore, not been sent to the State House of Assembly. All the same, it is one Bill that shall be pursued to a logical conclusion.
“For the records, the Anti-Corruption Bill, when put in place, will serve the purpose of the State, rather than the warped imagination of the grossly deficient opposition.
“Those who started the formulation of the Law had in mind to decentralize the anti-corruption fight to the federating units of the Nigerian Federation. It suffices, therefore, that, the rush to disseminate falsehood appears more important to the opposition PDP than the need for a TRULY FEDERAL NIGERIA.
He said further “For the records, the Law has been in existence in Kano State since 2008. Lagos State followed suit by passing the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Bill into Law. Aside from Lagos in the Southwest, the Law is in operation in Ogun and Oyo States. Interestingly, Oyo is a PDP governed State. Undoubtedly, Ondo PDP needs help.
“More importantly, the Supreme Court has ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be construed within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC – to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria.
“The matter centers on one of the issues of our true federalism. It interrogates the rationale behind a federal agency exercising oversight powers on States under the guise of financial crimes when each state has its Penal and Criminal Codes dealing with such offences”.
Faulting PDP’s claim, Ojogo said “the PDP in Ondo State, as usual, failed to do its findings, but hurriedly amplified falsehood and spurious gists to members of the public.
“While we agree that it is their stock in trade, it is important that this clarification be made in the overall interest of members of the public.
“We will continue to do what is best for the people and the state notwithstanding the needless and fabricated allegations that are being fed members of the public by the drowning PDP.
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