In November 2013, President Jonathan appointed the former Bauchi governor chairman of the Nigerian Pension Commission, PENCOM.
He
was appointed to the position even though he is still being
investigated for graft by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, for allegedly looting N19.8billion belonging to his state while he
was governor between 1999 and 2007.
The former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing but he is yet to be cleared of the allegation.
The
civic group, Transition Monitoring Group, protested the appointment at
the time, saying it was morally wrong for the president to appoint a man
being tried for corruption to such a high office.
Mr. Jonathan and the National Assembly disregarded that position and proceeded to clear the former governor for the position.
The
TMG statement at the time reads in part, “The Transition Monitoring
Group, TMG, is astonished and peeved by this move of the President,
especially in the light of the fact that the former Governor is yet to
be cleared by the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of
the corruption charges he is facing for allegedly defrauding the coffers
of Bauchi State to the tune of N19.8billion when he was Governor of the
State,” the group said in a statement on Monday.
“This and other
similar acts of Mr. President, particularly his penchant for
surrounding himself with famed corrupt individuals, makes his
government’s so-called anti-corruption efforts a laughing stock, for it
is patently obvious from his antecedents that President Jonathan
endorses corruption.
“The EFCC is investigating Mr. Mu’azu for
allegedly stealing billions of naira belonging to Bauchi State during
his term as governor between 1999 and 2007.Other names forwarded to the
Senate for confirmation as Commissioners of PENCOM include Chinelo
Anohu-Amazu (South East), Reuben Omotowa (North Central), Mohammed
Ka’oje (North West), and Adesojo Olaoba-Efuntayo (South West).But the
group said that appointing Mr. Mu’azu to head the commission is in line
with his practice of shielding corrupt individuals.
“TMG
recalls that in the heat of the corruption charges against the same
Mu’azu Adamu, President Jonathan appointed him in 2011 as Chairman of
the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA),” said the statement signed by Ibrahim Zikirullahi and Eddy
Ezurike, the group’s Chairman and Publicity Secretary respectively.
“It
was with the President’s nod that Business Mogul, Mike Adenuga and his
wife, Titi Adenuga in late 2010 walked free from the EFCC charges they
were facing for reportedly collecting bribes from Siemens officials; and
it was this same attitude of Presidential Romance with alleged corrupt
individuals that enabled controversial Lawyer, Dele Oye to walk scot
free from EFCC charges of allegedly acting as front for the defunct
Oceanic Bank CEO, Cecilia Ibru; and aiding her to loot tens of billions
of Naira in Bank assets.
“The Nigerian people of course will not
forget in a hurry how this same President granted presidential pardon to
a notorious convicted corrupt former Governor and his kinsman, DSP
Alamieyeseigha, and other criminals, including a paedophile.
“Those
who recently looted the Police Pensions Board, including its former
Director are yet to be brought to book. The list is endless; yet
Jonathan’s regime talks about fight against corruption. The attitude of
Mr. President in recycling corrupt individuals in public places is
worrisome and does not inspire confidence at all.
“In fact, on
issue after issue, he has shown that he will never combat corruption but
will rather aid, abet and shield corrupt officials.
“The group
called on President Jonathan to withdraw, immediately, Mr. Mu’azu’s
nomination and take “creative steps” to rebuild confidence and imbue
confidence in the anti-corruption war.
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