By Emegwoako C. Paschal
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) is embroiled in a new scandal after its commissioners learned how Prof. Mohammed Isah, the chairman of the bureau, allegedly prevented an investigation into the N109 billion fraud that involved Idris Ahmed, a former Accountant General of the Federation.
The former AGF has already been charged with N109 fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but it was discovered that CCB was made aware of the situation, and the investigation was reportedly stopped by the Bureau chairman.
All six federal commissioners who jointly run the anti-graft agency with the Chairman of the Bureau are accused of engaging in corrupt practices, which they all revealed in petitions to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
In the jointly signed petition, the Commissioners, led by Dr. Emmanuel Attah, claimed that the embattled Chairman of the CCB had been obstructing necessary investigations on petitions against public officials with multi-million and billion Naira in assets that were not disclosed in their assets declaration forms over the course of the previous four years.
The CCB Chairman was scheduled to testify before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions last Friday in light of the allegations against him, but he chose to skip the meeting while five of the six commissioners were present.
However, due to the CCB Chairman’s absence, the committee’s chairman, senator Ayo Akinyelure, with the support of other members, directed the absent Chairman to consistently appear before the committee on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.
One of the commissioners, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, and other disgruntled commissioners spoke to journalists after the adjourned session and said they petitioned the Chairman to prevent CCB from suffering self-inflicted incapacitation due to the Chairman’s pressure.
He claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari had appointed all of the Commissioners and the Chairman to aid in the fight against corruption throughout the public service. Elder Ubolo Okpanachi, Barrister Ben Nnana, Professor Folorunsho Ogundare, and other Commissioners were also present at the briefing.
