The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has
petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC) over the allegations of corruption during the recent primaries of
the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP).
This was made known in a statement issued to journalists on Sunday by SERAP’s senior legal adviser, Ms Bamisope Adeyanju.
According to her, the petition requested the two anti-graft agencies
to collaborate with the Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption (PACAC) in jointly investigating the allegations of
corruption.
SERAP also urged the EFCC and ICPC to publish the outcome of any
investigation carried out, especially if there was relevant and
sufficient admissible evidence, to bring to justice anyone involved.
The petition addressed to Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, EFCC; Dr.
Musa Abubakar Acting Chairman, ICPC, and copied to Professor Itse Sagay,
Chairman Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC)
read in part: “The allegations of bribe payments by candidates to
political parties and party officials should be thoroughly investigated
and anyone suspected to be involved prosecuted if the country’s
political parties are to win back the trust of citizens.”
“When officials of political parties sell access to public offices in
return for money, the entire institutions of governance are invariably
compromised. SERAP urges both the EFCC and ICPC to proactively act to
ensure greater level of transparency and accountability and reduce the
risk of corruption among political parties if Nigeria is not to continue
to witness damaging allegations of corruption involving political
parties.”
“Political corruption undermines the fundamental role of political
parties in a democratic system including that of serving as an essential
tool of expression of the political will of citizens. Investigating the
allegations of corruption in the primaries by the APC and the PDP would
be entirely consistent with the exercise of your mandates to prevent
and combat corruption in the country, and will comply with both the
spirit and the letter of the UN Convention against Corruption to which
Nigeria is a state party.”
“According to reports, both the APC and the PDP allegedly perpetrated
acts of corruption including bribery to influence the outcomes of their
respective primaries. For example, the National Chairman of the APC, Mr
Adams Oshiomhole allegedly refused $500,000 bribe cash from a governor.
Mr Oshiomhole himself also alleged ‘dollar bazaar at the PDP Port
Harcourt primary’, in reference to the allegation that some PDP
presidential aspirants bribed many of the delegates with dollars to
influence the outcome of the primary.”
“Unresolved allegations of corrupt acts by political parties and
their officials would significantly contribute to impunity for grand
corruption in Nigeria and pose a serious threat to probity in public
life, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Investigating the
allegations and prosecuting all those suspected to be involved would
indicate your agencies’ willingness to exert your authorities and act as
a deterrent against breaches of Nigeria’s anti-corruption legislation
and international standards.”