The Federal Government has reportedly put in place measures to strip ex-convicts of the National Honour bestowed on them prior to their involvement in activities that led to their conviction.
The move comes after opposition parties, anti-corruption organizations and the House of
Representatives called for the stripping of the National Honours.
The House of Reps passed a resolution asking Jonathan to strip the national honours given to
former bank MDs who had been tried or convicted for their roles in the collapse of their banks in 2009 during a plenary session on July 19.
Some of the former bank chiefs who are affected include Cecilia Ibru (former MD of Oceanic), Erastus Akingbola (former Intercontinental Bank MD), and Barth Ebong (former Union Bank GMD).
The report of the House Committee on Capital Markets Collapse endorsed by the House, stated,
“That all former bank executives who are recipients of national honours and who are currently being prosecuted for crimes and
unethical practices which led to the collapse of their banks be stripped of their national honours by the President and Commander-in-Chief in line with Section 7 of the National Honours Act, LFN and international norms.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission/Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission and the courts should hasten their prosecution to serve as a deterrent and to help restore investors’
confidence in the (capital) market.”
Also slated to have their honours withdrawn are Former PDP Chieftain, Bode George who was
sentenced to a jail-term in 2009 for
improprieties committed when he was the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority by Lagos High Court; Former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun who is also slated for
stripping for his conviction of money laundering charges in 2005 by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako.
National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Mr.Rotimi Fashakin, noted that if the Constitution could forbid ex-convicts from holding elective office, then it must be deductible that such people should also lose the privileges that previous national honours conferred on them.
He said, “In some of the cases, like that of Mr.Tafa Balogun; and a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Bode George, they were just not what
could be treated as a ‘family affair’.
“Under normal circumstances, if the constitution forbids a criminal ex-convict from holding elective office, it is deductible that the individual
should also lose the privileges that a previous national honour confers.”
National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Chief Emma Eneukwu, said the government of Jonathan was not serious about its claim of fighting corruption.
He said, “You must know that this government does not have the will to fight corruption. Taking away the national honours from these listed
persons including George requires the determination to fight corruption without regard to sacred cows.
“This simply shows that the present government is paying lip service to the issue of corruption.”
ACN’s National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, called on Jonathan to immediately withdraw the honours from all undeserving persons who had either been convicted or were facing trial for crimes.
Akande listed Balogun, George, and some former managing directors of banks in the country among those that should lose their honours.
Akande, who spoke through his media aide, Mr Lani Baderinwa, said, “If they are honourable themselves, they should have dropped the awards once they are convicted but such a courageous action is far from Nigeria.
“The President should do what is right. In civilised countries, honour cannot be given to thieves.”
Culled from Channelstv.
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