President Muhammadu Buhari will today, Tuesday, October 18, 2016 declare open a two-day seminar aimed at formulating a legislative framework for the anti-corruption fight in the country.

The seminar, which is being organised by the Senate and House of Representatives committees on Anti Corruption, has as theme, “The role of the legislature in the fight against corruption in Nigeria”. It is the first major event jointly organised by both chambers of the 8th National Assembly since inauguration in June 2015.

A statement made available to press men in Abuja on Monday disclosed that Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, will co-host the anti corruption seminar.

According to the Senate Committee Chairman on Anti Corruption, Senator Chukwuma Utazi, “The Seminar is to give legal strength to the anti corruption fight of the present administration and to create legislative synergy for the anti corruption fight.”

“The seminar is aimed at making good the promise of the National Assembly that we are on the same page with the President Buhari-led administration and in line with the legislative agenda, that there is a synergy between the National Assembly and the Presidency in the fight against corruption. It is to reaffirm the point that you cannot clap with one hand. It is our way of saying that there must be a legislative strength to back the anti corruption stance of the present administration,” Utazi said.

The keynote address of the seminar will be delivered by Prof. P. L. O. Lumumba, Director General of the Kenyan Law School, who is also an international scholar on the issues of corruption.

Other topics slated for discussion at the seminar include “The Legislature as Champion of Anti-Corruption Reforms Leveraging ‎ Constitutional Mandates” under the chairmanship of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba. House of Representatives Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, Eze Onyechere of the Centre for Social Justice and Adetokumbo Mumuni of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) will serve as panellists.

Also slated for discussion at the seminar is the “Reform of the Anti Corruption Legal Framework/International Partnership Against Corruption; Nigeria’s Membership of FAFT in Focus” under the chairmanship of the Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu ‎Waziri Tambuwal. Hon. Pwajok Edward Gyang (SAN), Prof. Deji Adekunle, Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Femi Falana (SAN), Ibrahim Magu, Chairman of EFCC, and Prof. Shehu Abdulahi, former Director of GIABA, will serve as panellists.

On the second day, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Agunwa Anaekwe, will serve as chairman of the panel discussion titled, “Appropriation Process and Limits of Legislative Powers”. Hon. West Idahosa, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Prof. Sam Egwu of the Political Science Department, University of Jos, Prof. Chidi Onyia and Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, a Director of CISLAC, will serve as panellists.

Another topic slated for discussion is “Consensus Building in the Fight Against Corruption; Making the Arms of Government Accountable” under the chairmanship of Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari. Hon. Pally Iriase, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Idayat Hassan, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development and Hon. Ismaila Kawu are to serve as panellists. Equally to be discussed is “The Legislature and the Civil Society; Making the Feedback Count” under the chairmanship of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Prof. Etanbi Alemika of PACAC, Hon. Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen and Yemi Adamolekun of Enough is Enough (EIE) are to serve as members of the panel.

The last topic slated for discussion is titled, “Fighting Corruption at the State and Local Government Levels” under the chairmanship of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmad Idris. Senator Sam Egwu, Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad, Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Ekpo Nta, Prof. Sadiq Isah Raddah of PACAC, Mr. Debo Adeniran, Director of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), and Prof. Malachy Okwueze of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Department of Economics, will serve as panellists.

•Photo shows President Buhari.

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