Buhari Flags off N’ Assembly Seminar on Corruption Tuesday

Omololun Ogunmade in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari will tuesday declare open a two-day seminar aimed at formulating a legislative framework on the fight against corruption in accordance with his administration’s anti-corruption crusade.

According to a statement by Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, the seminar, with the theme: “The Role of the Legislature in the Fight against Corruption in Nigeria,” is being organised by the Joint National Assembly Committee on Anti-Corruption.
The statement added that the event would be co-hosted by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

Speaking on the seminar, Senate Committee Chairman on Anti-corruption, Chukwuma Utazi, said “the seminar would give legal strength to the anti-corruption fight of the present administration and create legislative synergy for the anti-corruption fight.”

He added: “The seminar is aimed at making good the promise of the National Assembly that we are on the same page with the President Buhari-led administration and in line with the legislative agenda that there is a synergy between the National Assembly and the presidency in the fight against corruption. It is to reaffirm the point that you cannot clap with one hand. It is our way of saying that there must be a legislative strength to back the anti-corruption stance of the present administration.”

Furthermore, Okocha said the keynote address at the seminar would be delivered by Prof. P. L. O. Lumumba, Director General of the Kenyan Law School. Lumumba is also an international scholar on corruption matters.

The seminar will also feature a discussion on “the Legislature as Champion of Anti-Corruption Reforms Leveraging Constitutional Mandates,” under the chairmanship of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, while the Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, his Senate counterpart, Bala Ibn Na’Allah; Eze Onyechere, of the Centre for Social Justice and Adetokumbo Mumuni of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) will serve as panelists.

In the same vein, the seminar will feature another session with the topic: “Reform of the Anti-corruption Legal Framework /International Partnership against Corruption; Nigeria’s Membership of FAFT in Focus,” to be chaired by Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal while Hon. Pwajok Edward Gyang (SAN), Prof. Deji Adekunle, Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Femi Falana (SAN), Ibrahim Magu, Chairman of EFCC and Prof. Shehu Abdulahi will serve as panelists.