All the contracts awarded by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
in the last six years have been tagged as illegal by the human
rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
![image](/2021/05/lawpbanner.jpg")
Falana said this in Abuja during the 24th Anti-corruption
Situation Room (ACSR) organised by Human and Environmental
Development Agenda.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
Falana said they were awarded in violation of the Public
Procurement Act, 2007.
He said the Procurement Act stipulates that every contract shall
go through an 11-member Public Procurement Council, which comprises
five members from government and six from professional bodies.
“This council is yet to be inaugurated. All the contract awards
announced at the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting are
illegal because none of them passed through the Public Procurement
Council,” he said.
Falana accused professional bodies of aiding and abetting
corruption committed by public officeholders.
He noted that anti-graft agencies in Nigeria are largely kind
towards professional associations, especially as it relates to
corrupt practices of their clients.
He however advocated for professional associations to publish
the names of their members who are complicit to corrupt practices
of their clients as part of measures to ensure that the fight
against corruption achieves expected result.
Falana urged 107 registered professional bodies in the country
to wake up to their responsibilities.
He said, “Professional associations should hold any of their
members vicariously liable for the offences by their clients.
“Our country has been run by professionals since 1960. Why are
we losing the battle against corruption? It is because of impunity
by the leaders.
“Professionals have failed to call their clients to order. The
107 registered professional bodies in the country should wake up to
their responsibilities.”
All the contracts awarded by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
in the last six years have been tagged as illegal by the human
rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
Falana said this in Abuja during the 24th Anti-corruption
Situation Room (ACSR) organised by Human and Environmental
Development Agenda.
Falana said they were awarded in violation of the Public
Procurement Act, 2007.
He said the Procurement Act stipulates that every contract shall
go through an 11-member Public Procurement Council, which comprises
five members from government and six from professional bodies.
“This council is yet to be inaugurated. All the contract awards
announced at the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting are
illegal because none of them passed through the Public Procurement
Council,” he said.
Falana accused professional bodies of aiding and abetting
corruption committed by public officeholders.
He noted that anti-graft agencies in Nigeria are largely kind
towards professional associations, especially as it relates to
corrupt practices of their clients.
He however advocated for professional associations to publish
the names of their members who are complicit to corrupt practices
of their clients as part of measures to ensure that the fight
against corruption achieves expected result.
Falana urged 107 registered professional bodies in the country
to wake up to their responsibilities.
He said, “Professional associations should hold any of their
members vicariously liable for the offences by their clients.
“Our country has been run by professionals since 1960. Why are
we losing the battle against corruption? It is because of impunity
by the leaders.
“Professionals have failed to call their clients to order. The
107 registered professional bodies in the country should wake up to
their responsibilities.”