Following the suspension of the embattled chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerians are not sure who President Muhammad Buhari will choose to succeed Ibrahim Magu.
Since the establishment of the anti-corruption body by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2003, Malam Nuhu Ribadu the pioneer chairman of the commission became a household name in Nigeria. This was as a result of his no-nonsense anti-corruption stance.
But Nuhu Ribadu too was disgraced out of office by former President Umaru Musa Yaradua.
Since then the commission had chairmen like Mrs. Farida Waziri, Ibrahim Lamorde, and recently Ibrahim Magu.
Fighting corruption in Nigeria is one of the promises made by preceding governments and many anti-corruption efforts have not met the expectation of Nigerians. This is because they see the fight as selective even from Nuhu Ribadu up to the time of Ibrahim Magu.
Nigerian press has speculated on President Muhammad Buhari’s appointments since he assumed office in 2015, but the president in several instances has surprised Nigerians and appointed unpredictable personalities.
A recent example was when his late Chief of staff Abba Kyari passed away on April 17, the press speculated his possible replacement, and many prominent politicians were penciled down by the press as possible successors of Abba Kyari, but still, President Buhari surprised Nigerians and appointed Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
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As Nigerians await the appointment of new EFCC helmsman, the doggedness of President Muhammad Buhari’s effort in fighting corruption remained to be seen in his less than three years before he hands over in May 2023.
Nigerians are also waiting to see whether the president will appoint someone who is impartial in fighting corruption. This is because average Nigerians are not yet satisfied with how the Buhari administration fights corruption especially during the days of Ibrahim Magu.
The 8th National may have been vindicated, they exerted enormous pressure on Mr. President to sack Ibrahim Magu but to no avail.
Fighting corruption by the Buhari administration has been confusing to the government itself, as a self-acclaimed anti-corruption Czars like Ibrahim Magu appointed by the Buhari administration have been accused of corrupt acts
