The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its investigation shows that Diezani
Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, allegedly gave
politicians $115 million to compromise the 2015 elections.
Abdulrasheed Bawa, the EFCC chairperson, said this on
Wednesday at an induction retreat for new resident electoral commissioners
(INEC) in Lagos.
Bawa was represented by Adukwu Michael, the chief
superintendent of the anti-graft agency.
BACKGROUND
Diezani was the minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to
2015 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan
Shortly before Jonathan handed over to President Muhammadu
Buhari in 2015, she left the country.
The former minister is alleged to have stolen $2.5 billion
from the Nigerian government while she was a minister.
She has, however, denied the allegations, while the EFCC has since commenced a process to
extradite her.
The federal government had gained forfeiture of Diezani’s properties located in Banana
Island Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, including 18 flats and six penthouses.
‘OUR FOCUS IS TO DISCOURAGE USE OF MONEY TO INFLUENCE
ELECTION’
The EFCC chairperson’s representative said some of the
monies allegedly stolen by Diezani have been recovered by the agency.
He disclosed that the anti-graft agency is focusing on how
to discourage vote buying.
“The commission’s focus in election management is
discouraging the use of money to influence the outcome of election,” THISDAY quoted him as saying.
“Electoral spending by politicians often leads to voter
inducement and vote buying.
“Parties often induce voter with money because they lack
proper and realistic policies to convince the electorate to vote them into
power.
“Whenever one is induced to sell his vote, he automatically
loses moral ground to challenge corrupt tendencies of those elected.
“In the 2015 discreet investigation, the commission was able
to uncover a grand plan to compromise the 2015 general election through massive
cash payments to politicians.
“$115 million was paid out to politicians by former minister
of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madukwe, to compromise the election.
“Some of the money was recovered while many of the culprits
are being prosecuted with few convictions recorded. At the heart of EFCC
strategy to curb voter inducement is inter-agency collaboration and information
sharing.
“The EFCC is
complementing the efforts of other stakeholders in educating the electorate on
why it is important for their votes to not be traded.
“We are working with INEC to determine and to enforce
provisions of the Electoral Act as it relates to limit of campaign spending by
different categories of office seekers. This is an intelligence-driven
exercise.”
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