…Urges govt to guard public institutions from agenda-driven attacks
Ethics and Compliance Officers Association of Africa (ECOA) has expressed deep concern over recent allegations targeting the leadership of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), warning that institutional reform often attracts resistance from vested interests and must not be undermined by unverified narratives.
In a statement issued by the Secretary of the Association, Professor Babatunde Akinsanya, ECOA noted that reform disrupts entrenched practices, and it is not unusual for strong reactions to follow efforts aimed at closing long-standing gaps within public systems. According to the Association, the current backlash against the BPP leadership reflects the tightening of controls and the closure of channels previously exploited for abuse within the procurement process.
Professor Akinsanya stated that the claim suggesting that the Director General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, who has spent barely one year in office, is allegedly linked to an extraordinary number of bank accounts, which lack logical and evidential foundation. No verifiable banking details, transaction records, procurement trails, or identifiable counterparties have been presented to substantiate such claims.
He further emphasised that public procurement operates within clearly defined statutory frameworks, making it necessary to interrogate the factual basis of allegations of “large-scale corruption”.
“Institutional reform inevitably unsettles vested interests. When access is restricted and old privileges are lost, resistance often follows,” Professor Akinsanya said.
The Association cautioned the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, oversight institutions, and the public to exercise restraint and discernment in responding to accusations that appear driven more by disruption than by evidence. It warned that allowing agenda-driven attacks to dominate public discourse risks weakening critical institutions at a time when transparency, efficiency, and confidence in public procurement are national priorities.
While reaffirming its strong commitment to accountability, transparency, and anti-corruption efforts, ECOA stressed that justice must be evidence-based and process-driven, not shaped by speculation or media trials.
Professor Akinsanya urged stakeholders to clearly distinguish between genuine whistleblowing and resistance to reform, noting that public officials must be held accountable when facts exist, but must also be protected when allegations lack proof.
The Association called on the leadership of the Bureau of Public Procurement to **remain focused on its reform mandate, adding that sustained institutional strengthening, rather than distraction, best serves Nigeria’s governance system and development objectives.