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 office holders.
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.”
