By John Ogunsemore
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jibrin Okutepa, has hailed the Supreme Court for dismissing a case filed by some state governments seeking the dissolution of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two other anti-corruption agencies.
Daily Sun earlier reported that 16 states of the federation instituted a lawsuit against the Attorney-General of the Federation, challenging the constitutionality of the Acts establishing the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In a judgement delivered on Friday, November 15, the Supreme Court dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who led a seven-man panel of justices, held that the states were completely wrong in holding that EFCC established by an act of the National Assembly was an illegal and unlawful body.
In a statement on Saturday, Okutepa lauded the apex court’s decision.
Okutepa cited previous lawsuits on the legality of the anti-corruption bodies which were shut down by the Supreme Court.
“Given the avalanche of decisions of the Supreme Court on this issue, one is therefore at a loss why in 2024 some state government led by Kogi State will then go back to the Supreme Court to challenge the legality and constitutionality of the establishment of EFCC.
“Happily, the Supreme Court has dismissed their case. This was done on the 15th of November 2024. I do not know why anybody in his right senses should canvass the legality and perhaps abolition of EFCC and ICPC or any anti graft agencies that can be used to fight and eradicate corruption in Nigeria,” he said.
Okutepa added, “While it is conceded that these anti graft agencies are not doing enough to fight and eradicate corruption in Nigeria due obviously to political interferences, one must not lose sight that they are necessary for our country.
“The bane of Nigeria’s growth and prosperity is impunity rooted in corruption.
“Today, Nigeria is suffering from injuries inflicted on it by years of unchecked corruption in and around government. Instead of canvassing for abolition of EFCC and ICPC, we should demand their true independence to enable them to do their jobs thoroughly.
“But Nigerian politicians would not want to have any of these.”
Okutepa said the state governors who went to the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of EFCC did so based judicial adventure hoping that they can get the kind of judgments they get in electoral jurisprudence that have laid many mines on the way of justice in electoral frauds always perpetuated by politicians on their ways to power.
“As I have consistently said, only the judiciary can save Nigeria from the strangulation of political progress democracy and the rule of law.
“Nigerian politicians have destroyed so many institutions in Nigeria, and they are hoping to use the judiciary to destroy EFCC. Nigerian democracy is having issues because of decisions from our courts in electoral litigations.
“These politicians went to the Supreme Court, thinking that the judiciary would give them judgments in the manner they got judgments in political cases.
“The judiciary must do all it can to make our country work.
“The judiciary must hold the political class accountable. The judiciary must take charge and show light in the darkness of the political system of Nigeria that seems to enjoy working in darkness.
“No sane person should advocate less fighting against corruption. No state institutions are ready to fight corruption in Nigeria. EFCC and ICPC must wake up and prosecute those who have looted our treasuries.”