The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said it might revisit the case files of 20 former state governors indicted for corruption in 2008.

Abdullahi Bako, acting chairman of the commission said this while speaking with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday.

Background:

The ICPC in 2008 had set up a committee to investigate petitions of alleged corrupt acts against the governors.

20 ex-governors, whose identities were not released by the commission, were allegedly found to have violated the ICPC Act.

What Bako said:

He said the case files were shelved due to a combination of legal and financial impediments.

“The cases came up when the governors were still in office, and the law provides for the setting up of an independent council to investigate them,” he said.

“Unfortunately, at that time, the office of the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) which was to appoint the council had no money to pay for such gigantic operation or assignment

“That was why nothing was done about it. But the files may be revisited now that they have left office, especially of those with prima facie cases against them.”

He added that the commission was awaiting the directive of the Federal Government on what to do with assets recovered from looters.

“We are not auctioning the assets. There is a body set up by the government to audit recovered assets all over the country and abroad,” he said.

“It is left for the government to decide thereafter; it is not for the individual anti-corruption agencies to dispose off anything.”

What this means:

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been unable to prosecute and probe former governors accused of corrupt practices.

However, with the ICPC gearing up to revisit the case of some governors, Nigerians can hope for dispensation of justice and accountability.

The ICPC may soon become the nation’s major anti-corruption agency with this move, that has taken the EFCC forever to accomplish.