Magu Warns Nigerians of Moneybag Politicians, Vows to Take Corruption Fight to Grassroot

Magu Warns Nigerians of Moneybag Politicians, Vows to Take Corruption Fight to Grassroot

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says the Commission is determined to take anti-corruption fight to the grassroots as most politicians capitalize on ignorance to buy the votes from the rural areas.

He gave this indication at a stakeholders meeting by African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, on February 13, 2018 at Savannah Centre, Abuja. The theme of the meeting is “Governance and Election as it Affects Your Mandates”.

The EFCC boss urged Nigerians of voting age to get their permanent voters card, PVC, ready and ensure that people of questionable characters are not voted to power.

Magu, who spoke through Adegboyega Aremo, Secretary to the Commission, urged Nigerians to be wary of moneybags politicians who have a propensity to loot public treasury in a bid to recoup all money expended on buying votes.

According to him, corrupt politicians see election into public office as a business venture rather than call to service.

He added that the “only way by which we can secure the future of this country from firm grip of corruption is by exposing corrupt politicians and ensuring that they do not get the mandate of the people”.

In her remark, Professor Brigitte Mabandla, who chaired the session praised the EFCC for its tenacity towards tackling corruption in Nigeria. 

According to her, “the stakeholders meeting was geared towards working out modalities that will focus on Nigeria’s readiness and preparations to host the African Union Conference on “Electoral Process, Violence and Elections” as well as the second round of Nigeria’s Voluntary Review exercise, under the APRM templates, coming up later this year”.

The event was a joint collaboration with New Partnership for Africa’s Development, NEPAD; African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM and Savannah Center on Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, SCDDD.

Prof. Mabandla, who is also a chair person, APRM, South Africa, warned on the consequences of aiding and abetting corruption especially during election describing it as an act capable of mortgaging the future of the generation yet unborn.

Also speaking Professor Ibrahim Gambari, a co-chair of the meeting said “the mandate of the APRM is to establish a nexus between peace, development and democracy”.

He added that there would not be sustainable development without peace.

The stakeholders meeting had delegation pulled from EFCC, ICPC, INEC, Ministry of Justice and Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation.