‘Probe corruption in conduct of primaries by APC, PDP’, tells EFCC, ICPC

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has
sent an urgent petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC) requesting them to “jointly
investigate allegations of corruption during the recent primaries
by both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), and to collaborate with the Presidential
Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) in any such
investigation.”

The organization also urged the EFCC and ICPC to “widely publish
the outcome of any investigation carried out, and if there is
relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, to bring to justice
anyone involved.”

In the petition dated 10 November 2018 and signed by SERAP
senior legal adviser Bamisope Adeyanju, the organization said,
“Allegations of bribe payments by candidates to political parties
and party officials would ultimately undermine the principles of
representative and accountable government that acts in the public
interest, equality and fairness. Whether or not the allegations are
true, the fact that both parties have repeatedly accused each other
of corruption raises significant concerns about the influence of
money in Nigerian politics and public positions being given in
return for cash.”

The organized expressed “serious concern that if true, the
allegations that officials of leading political parties engaged in
corrupt acts would weaken public confidence in the electoral and
democratic process, and send a damaging message that public offices
are for sale and that politicians are interested in public offices
only for themselves and not for the common good.”

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.”