EFCC interfering in Zamfara elections, says group

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being
used by influential politicians to influence the outcome of the
2019 governorship election in Zamfara state, a coalition of civil
society organisations has alleged.

The group, Zamfara Unity Forum, said it had information that
Daudu Lawal, the consensus governorship candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, has been arrested and
detained by the EFCC for over a week.

In the statement signed by Usman Bungudu, convener of the forum,
the group said it is part of the “grand plan” to influence the
election.

“It is unfortunate that the EFCC will allow itself to be used to
influence the outcome of the Zamfara Governorship election with the
arrest of Mallam Lawal for reasons nobody has been told up till
now,” the statement read.

“His friends and associates have reported that all efforts to
reach him have proved abortive, meaning he is being kept
incommunicado. How can EFCC keep someone for a week without giving
information to his family.

“Information reaching us now suggests that the EFCC is planning
to resurrect charges that had been dispensed with years ago, just
in time to pressurise him to drop out of the governorship race in
favour of the anointed candidate or somebody else.

“This is definitely a threat to this democracy. Institutions of
state, such as EFCC, should never allow themselves to be used to
further the political interests of certain sections.”

Abdulaziz Yari, incumbent governor of Zamfara, has allegedly
been unable to get Mukhtar Idris, his commissioner of finance, to
be the party’s candidate.

The group called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the EFCC
to order so that the credibility of the 2019 general election is
not called to question.

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