Yemi Adedeji, Abuja
ActionAid Nigeria has commended the Nigeria Judiciary and the anti-corruption agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the conviction of Jolly Nyame, the former governor of Taraba state, who had been standing trial over corruption.
Ene Obi, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, said the May 30 judgement delivered in the Nyame case would go a long way to restore public confidence in the Nigeria judicial system.
Obi who disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by Lola Ayanda, its Communication Officer, said: “corruption has eroded our common and collective inheritance in the country, and this has tremendously widened the gap between the poor and the rich, led to the collapse of health facilities, bad roads, lack of potable water and sanitation, and poor educational facilities. These manifestations have hugely affected the poor, especially women and children”.
“This unfair situation is the basis for ActionAid Nigeria’s insistence on strong systems and sanctions that challenge the impunity of corrupt leaders like Jolly Nyame. What these corrupt leaders steal is not mere funds, what they steal is the right of the people of Nigeria to basic needs of life and right to live a life of dignity,” she said.
Obi further appealed to the Federal Government to “as a matter of urgency communicate to the Taraba people how it will recover the N1.64billion and invest it in public service that will benefit the state. Anything short of these transparent and accountable principles will be tantamount to shortchanging the Taraba people”.