The chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, on Wednesday, said she was not being teleguided by President Goodluck Jonathan in the agency's fight against corruption, contrary to speculation in some quarters.
Mrs Waziri also stated that the EFCC had, over the years, achieved some landmark convictions, involving over 600 Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), 419 kingpins, bank fraudsters and other perpetrators of economic and financial crimes.
This came just as Senate President, Senator David Mark, maintained that the present crop of legislators in the National Assembly would not engage in any form of rivalry or power tussle but would collaborate among themselves to alleviate the sufferings of the masses.
Both Mark and Waziri spoke during an interactive session between members of the National Assembly and selected government departments and agencies at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The EFCC chairman also vowed to resign from her position if found wanting in her duty as the boss of the anti-graft agency, noting that there was no need merging the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the EFCC as both commissions have different mandates.
The deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, had, during question and answer session, asked the EFCC boss if there were conflicts in the operations of ICPC and EFCC with Mrs Waziri saying there were none.
According to the EFCC boss, ICPC has a different mandate noting that EFCC handles economic crimes like 419, money laundering, cyber-crime while ICPC concerns itself about graft and corruption.
She said, "there is no conflict between us, however we need to work together. No need to merge the EFCC and ICPC".
She however took her time to caution the federal lawmakers to be conscious of their positions as PEPs, saying they should allow this be the guiding principles in their roles as representatives of the people.
Mrs. Waziri added that in as much as corruption remains the bane of the Nigerian society, the EFCC will not relent in her efforts at executing to the latter the mandate of arresting, investigating and prosecuting persons suspected to be involved in financial and economic crimes.
She said if Nigeria must discourage the impunity with which people perpetrate financial crimes, the National Assembly must help to nurture and grow institutions.
"You as an institution must work hard not to grow or make individuals important, but to make institutions strong and resilient" she added.
Source: Tribune