Funso Muraina
16 May 2008
Abuja — Speculations as to the fate of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were laid to rest yesterday.
Five months after he was controversially sidelined and ordered to proceed on study leave, Ribadu was yesterday officially replaced as the chairman of the anti-graft agency.
President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua approved the appointment of Mrs. Farida Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, as EFCC chairman, replacing Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde who had taken over from Ribadu in an acting capacity after Ribadu resumed at the National Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.
Waziri will hold forte in an acting capacity until she is confirmed by the Senate as stipulated in the EFCC Act.
In a letter signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, he stated that the new chairman's appointment took effect from yesterday.
Waziri has LLB (Hons) and LLM degrees from the University of Lagos, BL from the Nigerian Law School, MSc in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan and attended the Nigeria War College, Abuja.
The SSG's letter added that Waziri attended various professional and administrative courses at home and abroad, mostly on investigations and operations.
Also, the president has approved that Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, whose tenure as member and Secretary of the commission expired in April, 2008, should continue in the same office in acting capacity.
Akomoaye is a lawyer and has been with the commission since 2003.
THISDAY learnt that the appointment of Waziri, who hails from Benue State, had been in the pipeline for a while, but the President was said to have initially asked those sponsoring her nomination to "hold on".
However, her sponsors, who are said to be some former and serving governors and a former presidential aide, were said to have sealed the deal to have her appointed last weekend in Bayelsa State after a governorship campaign rally.
Kingibe's statement was silent on the fate of Lamorde, although it is assumed that he would go back to his position as Director of Operations.
However, there were strong indications that he too may be sent on compulsory study leave which was aborted in January as a result of insinuations that the EFCC was being deliberately weakened by the Federal Government to protect some individuals.
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The problem with most Africans is that they are so docil! You all sit there doing nothing, saying nothing, being nothing, actioning nothing, while a few thieves steal away your future and your future generations. Everyone of you want to go to EU or USA. Why can't you people fight for your countries?
By the way, ain't you people ashamed of seeing your girls roaming the streets of EU and USA as prostitutes? The womb that bear your future are being desecrated all over the world while a few falables loot your treasury.
Yaradua or whatever… [Read Full Text]
The tactical removal of Nuhu Ribadu as head of EFCC was seen and translated as an attempt by this administration to manipulate the EFCC into a position where it can be unqestionably maneuvered by the corrupt politicians who are overwhelmingly in control of the polity to dance to their tune. With the revelation that the new replacement, Mrs. Waziri, is said to have been sponsored in part by former governors, the fear is seemingly rife that the EFCC may now become a tool in the hands of corrupt politicians. A LITTLE MORE THE WORLD WILL SEE! The two… [Read Full Text]
A police officer to head the EFCC.How far can Nigeria sink?The police force is one of the greatest problem facing nigerian development.The police is corrupt and untill otherwise nothing good can come from that side. The government wants to kill the EFCC by default. we can safe the EFCC ,the government should marge this organ with the ministry of finance..Ihis will make our ministry of finance very functional.Police lawyers ,police accountants, police investigators all trained in the areas of financial matters can hold fort in this department.The EFCC will no more be under pressure to carry out it's regular… [Read Full Text]
Mr president need to understand that Nigeria of yesterday is not capable of today's game.Ribadu need to go back to his position as the chairman, he has performed well under Obasanjo's administration. We have to remember that his outstanding performances has put Nigeria back in the world Golden book.Obasanjo perfomed well and left the country on the good track.we need Ribadu for the clean up the country of bad polticians. if all the people in our polity thinks is how to loot the national's tresuary, then they need to think twice because this generation of young graduates without hope… [Read Full Text]
Yes, it raises a lot of issues that the CZAR for EFCC is sponsored by a former Govenor but this is going to be a diiferent circumsatnce because as a woman, wife, and mother Ms. Waziri should be empathetic to the plight of Nigeria and how some of those in the position of authority have squandered the resources for the next generation including her grand children.
As a learned woman she is independent and expected to do well in a male dominated workforce but equally important she is expected to be a role model for other younger women aspiring to… [Read Full Text]
Yes, it raises a lot of issues that the CZAR for EFCC is sponsored by a former Governor but this is going to be a different circumstance because as a woman, wife, and mother Ms. Waziri should be empathetic to the plight of Nigeria and how some of those in the position of authority have squandered the resources for the next generation including her grand children.
As a learned woman she is independent and expected to do well in a male dominated workforce but equally important she is expected to be a role model for other younger women aspiring to… [Read Full Text]
Notwithstanding how Mrs. Farida Waziri came to be the EFCC Chairman or what her past occupation was, the onus is on her to diligently watch over Nigeria and her long plundered wealth. She is a mother I suppose, and knows the pains involved in giving birth to a new beginning. Let the mother-hood and professionalism in her be the only paramount thing in her mind as she steps up to help Nigeria and Nigerians go through a conscious re-birth towards a deeper appreciation for the common good and national prosperity! In this way she would be remembered as a great… [Read Full Text]
It is about time!!! For those of us who know her, and her background (her former high school, which was blocks away from my old one, W.M. Bristow, etc.) think Nigeria has made a great choice. We people in the Tiv Nation, who have seen injustice under every administration, especially the Obasanjo administration, do welcome this. Besides, how is the Attorney General of Nigeria doing? Another proud child of the Tiv Nation. How did Dr. Iyorchia Ayu do as the Senate President under the Babangida so-called trial democracy? Didn't he help get a dictatorship end? Another product of the Tiv… [Read Full Text]
this is a proof that mr president, umaru musa yar'adua, does not mean well for nigeria. he is a crook himself. all these reshuffling and manouvering are ways and means of positioning himself and his accomplices for the d day. i bet u all, obasanjo will be better than umaru yar'adua. let us watch. but the president has forgotten that the present crop of nigerians are smatter than him. he just happened to be rigged into office. my advise is that seeing is beleiving. the legs that move in a suspicious way, have the eyes that are suspicious too, watching… [Read Full Text]