ICPC RAISES ANTI-CORRUPTION AWARENESS, BUT LOWERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002369 SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INL/C, INL/AAE, AND INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV KCOR KCRM NI SUBJECT: ICPC RAISES ANTI-CORRUPTION AWARENESS, BUT LOWERS ITS OWN PROFILE Classified By: Ambassador Robin R. Sanders for reasons 1.4. (b & d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: PolCouns and PolOff (notetaker) met with Executive Member Dr. Uriah Angulu of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on November 21 to discuss the USG's concerns with Nigeria's stalled progress on anti-corruption. He acknowledged that the ICPC appears to prefer a much lower profile than Nigeria's other main anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),and has chosen to focus on "public enlightment" (public awareness) rather than actual prosecutions. Angulu expressed frustration with EFCC Chair Farida Waziri's lack of progress on prosecutions, and her moves against former EFCC Chair Ribadu and Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Director Okauru, which he said he would raise the issue with the ICPC Commissioner. We, however, question the ICPC's ability to take on a leading role in the anti-corruption fight, and believe the agency will continue instead to remain a bystander to Attorney General (AG) Michael Aondoakaa and Waziri's consolidation of control over the country's anti-corruption apparatus. END SUMMARY. Disappointed and Outraged - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) Angulu expressed to PolCouns his outrage and disappointment over both the harassment of former EFCC Chair Nuhu Ribadu and the dismissal of former NFIU Director A.B. Okauru. He admitted to "wanting to smash his television when he heard the news" of Okauru's removal and that such actions were "an embarrassment to the country; that hard-working people should be punished for doing a good job." In his most revealing admission, Angulu divulged his complete lack of trust of AG Aondoakaa and EFCC Chair Waziri, and suggested that Aondoakaa "should have been one of the first ministers to get sacked" under President Yara'Adua's recent cabinet reshuffle. Angulu promised PolCouns that he would personally take up the matter of Okauru's forced resignation with the ICPC Commissioner and request that the Commissioner bring it up with President Yar'Adua. He also agreed to convey that the international community is beginning to doubt Nigeria's seriousness and political will in fighting corruption. Operational Merge with EFCC? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (C) Angulu said a recent press report alleging that the EFCC and ICPC might merge operations was false. He explained that the story came about from an interview with the German President during his recent visit to Nigeria, where he mistakenly confused the mandates of the twp organizations. Angulu told PolCouns that a merger would be impossible as the two agencies have very different goals. He explained that he "tries not to interfere with Waziri's operation in order to preserve his own agency's independence." However, Angulu observed that Waziri's actions evidence her close relationship with Aondoakaa, her bad decision-making, and ambition to control the country's anti-corruption agenda. Yara'Adua's Health and Angulu's Predictions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (C) Toward the end of the meeting, Angulu expressed his concern with President Yar'Adua's health, particularly the consequences of a power vacuum in the event of his death or resignation for health reasons. He estimated that while Nigerian leaders knew the country's constitution (which calls for the Vice President to assume office in such circumstances),he still feared that they would not be stopped from "behaving stupidly," and that some northerners would attempt to block the Vice President's succession. He said he had told such leaders that this was foolish, and that the constitution should be respected, though he was not certain if he had convinced them. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: Despite Angulu's claims that the Commissioner is free from political influence, the ICPC has remained largely ineffective as an anti-corruption institution. The Commission appears to have taken a politically safe approach which has shielded it from the kind ABUJA 00002369 002 OF 002 of wholesale purge which has gone on at the EFCC and NFIU; this, however, may have left it largely out of the real fight against corruption, focusing on public awareness campaigns rather than investigations and prosecutions. As a result, the ICPC is left on the sidelines while Waziri and Aondoakaa continue purging disloyalty from the ranks of the other organizations, and remain unhindered in their efforts to control who gets investigated and prosecuted. END COMMENT. ¶6. (U) This cable coordinated with Consulate Lagos. Sanders