Text of the Press briefing organized by the Association of Nigeria Youth Against Corruption (AYONAC) in conjunction with South East Youth Forum at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja on Wednesday, 5th July, 2017 to protest Senate’s directive to Ag President, Yemi Osinbajo to sack EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Magu.
All protocols observed
It has come to our notice, that the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, the 4th of July, 2017 issued a statement in its resolution to re-enforce its earlier position that all nominees rejected by the Senate should be relieved of their duties, with a particular reference to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, a man who has taken the fight against corruption to unprecedented heights.
We, the Association of Youths of Nigeria Against Corruption (AYONAC) in conjunction with the South East Youth Forum has berated the Nigerian Senate for intimidating the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo which we considered as a call for anarchy if not tamed.
For a better appreciation of who we are, the Association of Youths of Nigeria Against Corruption (AYONAC) are civil society organizations, of seasoned professionals; lawyers, journalists nay devoted followers of the war against graft in the land.
It is our considered opinion that after President Buhari’s long walk to victory at the 2015 polls with his running-mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, there have been conspiracies from quarters by sponsored elements within and outside his party APC, to jeopardize the government’s effort in taming the protracted corrupt practices and its attendant evil that have bedeviled the nation, more importantly in recent past.
We made bold to declare that the present Senate under the leadership of Bukola Saraki is not helping matters, having demonstrated to be a sworn enemy of this administration in its fight against corruption by rejecting Ibrahim Magu’s nomination as substantive chairman of the EFCC, for the record two times.
It is a matter of considerable regret that in spite of what Mr. Magu is doing to re-engineer and reposition the war against graft, a development that has won President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration both national and international accolades, some elements in the polity, especially the highest legislative body in Nigeria, the Senate, for reasons best known to them, have contumaciously refused to see any redeeming feature in it.
The anti-Magu disposition of the Senate, which stood like a totem pole during the screening of Magu’s nomination twice in the recent past, which the Acting President has condemned on the grounds that Section 171 of the Constitution did not make room for such seems to have irked the senators, hence their recent antagonism towards him. But what these senators don’t seem to understand is that the Acting President deserves to be respected for his right to freedom of speech, more importantly on issues of national interest.
Though the Buhari administration has remain unperturbed in its strive to clean-up the mess perpetrated by the previous administrations, but the need to sustain the tempo through the ongoing historical change that the Buhari government espouses, and such can be achieved with an unrelenting Ibrahim Magu and his unequal achievement since appointed by Buhari government as EFCC Acting chairman.
It is primarily for this reason, with the sole aim of intimating well meaning Nigerians to join forces with us in the battle against the intrigues of the opposition 8th Senate, which for obvious reasons is bent on fighting back on corruption as Buhari government intensifies efforts in killing the monster.
In setting the records straight, aside the fact that the Acting President is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), also as former Commissioner for Justice was in the best position to interpret what the Nigerians constitution says as regards the provision of Section 171 of the Constitution on the appointment and termination of certain offices within the jurisdiction of the executive arm of government, as corroborated by many other legal luminaries in the land.
As President Buhari grapples with the enormous challenge of sanitizing an obvious satanized values among Nigerians, which Saraki led Senate is currently promoting, and if allowed by the good people of this great nation and not nipped in the bud, have all potentials of setting the present administrations’ war on corruption back by several decades, hence this august briefing.
Our stand:
We wish to unequivocally maintain that, AYONAC, its allies and the good people of Nigeria stand with the President Muhammadu Buhari, and also wish to emphasize here that, the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo holds the right to his personal opinion and freedom to exercise his fundamental rights as a citizen of Nigeria, and should not and cannot be silenced or cowed by anyone whatsoever.
In doing so portends great danger for our democracy, hence our resolve as a civil society group to effectively counter the baseless nay divisive of the Saraki led Senate, and for this reason, the Senate should immediately withdraw its statement and orders against the seat and the person of the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo or any threat whatsoever to sanction the Acting President over his statement on the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
We therefore rejects in its entirety the conspicuous ultimatum slammed on the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, ordering him to sack the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu. We made bold to declare that we shall not rest on our oars and allow power of looters and economic saboteurs to submerge the good intention of this administration in its effort to tame corruption in the land. We will not stand idly by and watch any individual or group to intimidate our dear President Muhammadu Buhari or any member of his cabinet.
At this juncture, it is pertinent to make a clarion call on the Senate to allow the on-going fight against corruption of the present government succeed, and stop the intimidation and harassment of the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo or members of this government.
If indeed these senators were elected by the people as they claimed, then it is only necessary to remind them that they should hearken to the voices of their constituents, which are clearly in support of what Mr. Magu is doing at the EFCC.
Nigerian youths are taking a final stand against corruption, because if we do not do it now, our futures will pass us by like it passed so many youths who ended up not realizing their dreams in their country. We are going to kick-out corruption finally from Nigeria, and we have also mapped out ways we are going to make sure our programme succeeds. Make no mistakes about it, this is serious business, and nobody who has stolen public wealth will be spared. We know all of you and we will show you all that we mean business this time around.
Following this press release, we will be convening the largest coming together of Nigerian Youths from all the states for a public show that we the youths mean business. Preparations are already underway and a minimum of 36 MILLIONS NIGERIAN YOUTHS will troop their streets in every state, local government & ward, identifying with one single message – NIGERIAN YOUTHS STAND UP AGAINST CORRUPTION!NIGERIAN YOUTHS ARE CONFIDENT ON THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BUHARI .
This massive awareness street march will be convened to hold simultaneously in all the states of Nigeria in a single day. The message is to draw the attention of the International Community, the government, & the agents of corruption from Nigeria (living within our shores or outside) that we have had enough and thus are standing up for them to know their time is up
What is the main aim of the programme? We want all those who have stolen our resources to voluntarily submit themselves to the EFCC and make refunds or give accounts. It is designed that this request will be conveyed to them at every locality in Nigeria, no matter how highly or lowly placed these people are today. Once the programme ends, the real action takes over. We also want to assure the leadership of EFCC under Magu of our solidarity at this time that corruption is fighting back.
What are we saying? Let these individuals & their cronies respect the wishes of the Nigerian youth and proffer explanations and refunds where appropriate.
We are also using this opportunity to call on all other youth organizations from across Nigeria who have not signed up with us to do so immediately. This fight is our fight for our future. This fight is the only thing that can liberate us to have the Nigeria of our dreams. Nothing else will. We must take this stand now or forever surrender our future to those who have refused to take responsibility. We must rise now, or forever remain comatose in abject penury.
May God bless you all and grant our dear President Buhari speedy recovery and quick return to continue with his good works for which he was massively voted for in 2015.
The Change we all yearned should begin with all of us.
Speech delivered by : Amb. Phil Roberts, Assist Nat Coordinator.
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