Protest greets Lagos anti-corruption law

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has lent their voice to the Lagos State Public Complaint AntiCorruption Commission Law.

The CSOs say the law if allowed poses danger to the national anti-corruption fight as it would whittle down the power of the country’s anticorruption agencies especially EFCC and ICPC.

The CSOs under the umbrella of Speak Out Africa Initiative made their position known in a letter dated May 4 and signed by its Legal Adviser, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, SAN.

The letter was directed to the President, the Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly and the 36 state Assemblies, among others.

They spoke just as a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, sad it is dead on arrival.

The CSOs noted that the law recently passed by the Lagos House of Assembly establishes an anti-corruption agency to investigate crimes relating to the finances of the Lagos State.

“The agency will do so to the exclusion of every other body or authority see sections 13(3) & (5). Section 13(3) reads: “the Commission shall upon commencement of this law takeover the anti-corruption and financial crimes cases involving the finances and assets of Lagos State government being investigated by any other agency” While section 13(5) confers the power of exclusivity to the Commission in handling such financial crimes,” the coalition added.

They further submitted that since item 60(a) empowers the National Assembly to establish the EFCC and ICPC, the Lagos State Anti-Corruption law, to the extent of the inconsistency of its provisions with that of EFCC and ICPC are null and void.

In his comment on the new law, George said: “the Lagos State government legislation that seeks to shield criminals from being prosecuted by the EFCC is unconstitutional and retrogressive.”