The Anti-Corruption and Research Based-data Initiative (ARDI) says it has begun a compilation of activities and names of judges who are engaged in corrupt acts in the ongoing election petitions tribunal across the country.
Its Executive Director and author of the petition against former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, Dennis Aghanya said on Sunday that it would forward its petition based on the findings to the appropriate agency at the proper time.
He added that it was monitoring the ongoing tribunal cases arising from the 2019 general elections.
Aghanya’s ARDI had in January 2019 written a petition against Onnoghen to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation for failing to declare his five bank accounts with about $3m.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Aghanya also advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to appoint persons facing corruption charges into his new cabinet.
He said, “As the Ninth National Assembly is inaugurated on June 11, President Buhari should not include names of Nigerians who are facing corruption charges with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or any other anti-graft agencies in the list of his proposed cabinet members to be forwarded to the National Assembly for approval.
“This has become necessary to avoid situations whereby cabinet members will be dipping their hands into the coffers of their ministries, departments or agencies to defend their corruption cases pressed against them by the EFCC or any other anti-graft agencies.
“To achieve this, the EFCC should redouble its efforts to ensure that names of persons in this category are forwarded to Mr. President to guide him in his appointments.
“We are also monitoring the ongoing tribunal cases from the outcome of the last elections and compiling findings on the activities of judges soiling their hands. These are those who have still not learnt from the mistakes of others. We will forward our petition based on findings to the appropriate agency at the appropriate time.”
