The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a far-reaching bill seeking to establish the Anambra State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission, a move widely seen as a major legislative response to long-standing advocacy for stronger accountability in governance.
The Executive-sponsored bill, titled Anambra State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission Law, 2026, scaled through its first and second readings after intense scrutiny and amendments by lawmakers during plenary.
Speaker of the House, Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze, initially referred the bill to the Committee on Public Accounts, before the House dissolved into the Committee of the whole, where it underwent what lawmakers described as “rigorous legislative battering” to fine-tune its provisions.
Leading debate on the bill, the Majority Leader, Mr. Ikenna Ofodeme, explained that the proposed Commission would have powers to receive, investigate and act on allegations of corrupt practices involving public servants across the state.
According to him, the Commission will be authorized to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and improper or non-performance of government contracts, and refer substantiated cases to the Anambra State Attorney-General for prosecution or other legal action.
Beyond investigations, the Commission will also be empowered to coordinate and enforce all anti-corruption and financial crime laws relating to the finances and assets of the Anambra State Government, once the bill receives gubernatorial assent.
Power of commission
The law further grants the Commission powers to freeze, seize or confiscate proceeds of corruption and financial crimes, subject to obtaining valid court orders, as well as to facilitate information sharing, technical cooperation and joint operations aimed at eradicating corrupt practices.
It will also develop internal policies guiding the appointment, promotion and discipline of its staff, reinforcing its institutional autonomy.
Lawmakers expressed optimism that the Commission, when operational, would go beyond enforcement to sustain public enlightenment and sensitisation campaigns against corruption and financial malpractices across the state.
The House expressed hope that Governor Chukwuma Soludo would promptly assent to the bill, paving the way for what it described as a stronger, more coordinated anti-corruption framework in Anambra State.
The passage of the bill has been welcomed by advocates who have long called for a dedicated state-level institution to address corruption and financial crimes.
