2019: EFCC to monitor donations to political parties, donors’ identities

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has warned that as another election
cycle approaches, the EFCC will not fold its hands and watch the
nation’s commonwealth squandered by corrupt politicians.

Magu gave the warning while presenting a paper at a one-day
retreat for 36 state governors and key election stakeholders.

The retreat, with the theme: “Institutionalizing Transparency,
Accountability, And Anti-Corruption Issues In The Electoral Process
In Nigeria”, was organized by Centre for Values In Leadership,
CVL.

Magu, who spoke through Olanipekun Olukoyede, his Chief of
Staff, said, “We shall keenly monitor the financial affairs of
political parties to ensure that the use of public funds to finance
political parties and prosecute campaigns at all levels of
government is checked”.
He assured that henceforth, donations to political parties and the
identities of the donors will be of massive interest to the
Commission going forward.

“To minimize corruption and the use of public funds to fund
political parties and finance elections, there is need for greater
effectiveness in enforcing the provisions of the various electoral
laws in Nigeria especially as it relates to penalties upon breach
of their provisions.

“Political parties should be required to keep proper records of
all incomes, contributions and expenditure, and to open their books
for inspection by relevant security agencies after every
electioneering cycle”, Magu said.

He continued; “In addition, politicians prosecuting campaigns
must be required to keep proper records of all donations received
by them including the identities of the donors; and to turn their
books over to relevant security agencies, and to INEC for
inspection after every electioneering cycle, including the costs of
litigations arising from the elections and the source of funding
for the litigations”.

While acknowledging that the work to be done is enormous, he
explained that the EFCC cannot do it alone. “We do not have the
manpower and other resources to confront this hydra headed monster
alone. I implore fellow Nigerians to share credible intelligence
with the Commission on the activities of criminal politicians, so
that our tasks can be made easier”, he added.

The anti-graft czar commended the Centre for Values in
Leadership (CVL) for providing a platform to share experiences on
the subject of the electoral process in Nigeria and said “my hope
is that the politicians here see that the reality of playing
outside of the rules is that they become exposed to the
consequences as stipulated by the law or to the caprices of their
paymasters. Either way, they lose ultimately, the electorate loses
and the system falters”.

While taking a retrospective look at the Dasukigate, Magu said
“when you consider the fact that the money was disbursed for the
purpose of procurement of arms to fight insurgency in the North,
then the negative impact of funding elections with stolen
government funds becomes real and relatable all at once”.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the
Presidential Committee on Review of Arms Procurement on 31 August
2015 with a mandate to investigate the procurement of ammunition to
fight against insurgency during the administration of Goodluck
Jonathan.

“The 13-man Committee, which I was a member of, analyzed how
funds were transferred to the office of the National Security
Adviser and the Nigerian Armed Forces in local and foreign
currencies and subsequently disbursed.

“The committee observed that about $2.2 billion was disbursed
for the procurement of ammunition to tackle insurgency, yet little
or nothing was actually spent for the procurement of the arms for
which the funds were disbursed. The committee discovered that
failed contracts amounting to about $2,378,939,066.27 and
₦13,729,342,329.87 respectively were awarded by the NSA; who also
approved payments in millions of dollars without documentation”,
Magu said.

“While all these financial infractions were the order of the
day, terrorists were allowed to run amok, students were kidnapped,
raped and forcibly conscripted into Boko Haram, schools were
closed, communities sacked and burnt down, lives were lost,
Nigerians were turned into refugees in their own country, and
soldiers were denied necessary equipments with which to confront
and crush terrorism”, the EFCC Boss lamented. Adding, “This must
never be allowed to happen again in Nigeria”.

According to him, anytime money is diverted by an administration
to fund a political campaign, it is money already budgeted for an
essential need which will never be met because of heartless and
corrupt public officials.

“The money being misappropriated is either from health,
security, education, road construction, personnel costs etc; the
case of arms procurement by the NSA under President Goodluck
Jonathan government is apposite”, he explained.

In his opening remarks, Rasheed Adegbenro, Senior Vice
President, CVL, said the forum, which began in Lagos, was meant to
sensitize the electorate on the coming elections.

“The preparation for this Forum began in Lagos on September 15,
2018 when CVL organized a 7-kilometre road walk tagged Walk The
Talk to sensitize the electorate on the coming elections and
encouraging them to collect respective PVCs having previously
registered for same. The road walk admonished the electorate not to
remain passive but register to vote during the elections. The huge
success of the event was followed by special courtesy visits to
some stakeholders in Abuja to emphasize and convey high expectation
of the public concerning the 2019 polls”, he said.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police,
who was represented by CP Kenneth Ebrimson, gave assurance that the
Nigerian Police Force will ensure that the 2019 elections will be
free and fair.

He said, “The Police play a very vital role in any election
process. The Nigeria Police Force is ready to ensure that there is
free, fair and credible 2019 general election”

The retreat had in attendance, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, a
presidential candidate; Euginia Abu, former Executive Director
Programmes of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, amongst
others.

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