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MINISTERIAL LIST: Sagay condemns Akpabio’s inclusion
The Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, on Wednesday condemned the inclusion of former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio on the ministerial list.
Sagay expressed dismay that President Muhammadu Buhari nominated Akpabio, who is currently under investigation for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The legal luminary who spoke with Daily Independent, contended that Buhari would have not have Akpabio on the list if he truly cared about the fight against corruption in the country.
He also expressed satisfaction in most of the candidates, describing them as trusted hands.
His words: “I am very happy about the excellent ministers that are appointed like Babatunde Fashola, Rotimi Amaechi, Lai Mohammed, Adamu Adamu and Hadi Sirika. I am also happy about the inclusion of the dynamic and highly resourceful Festus Keyamo, who is very young and will add fresh energy and ideas into the team.
“Also, a lot of tested hands and reliable political allies are also there who committed to carrying out the programmes are also included such as George Akume, who is the leader of APC in Benue.
Read also: What Buhari’s minister nominee has to say about Nigeria’s economy
“Altogether, I am happy even though I don’t know many of the names from the North but the ones I know, I am very happy about it.
“The only nominee I am not satisfied with is Godswill Akpabio. I don’t know how he got into the list. That is the only one I have a reservation about.
“You know when we have a programme in which anti-corruption is number one, if anybody is under investigation or not, I don’t think it is wise to include him in that list. But the president knows why he did that. Apart from that, I am quite happy with the list.”
Recall that Akpabio first came under investigation in 2015 following allegation that he diverted over N100bn from the oil-rich state between 2007 and 2015, an allegation which he has denied.
An interim report by the EFCC had it that the former governor allegedly gave a bank N1.4bn for unknown reasons.
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