The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has warned politicians against filing frivolous corruption petitions against their opponents ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman of the ICPC, issued the warning on Friday in Abuja, while hosting the leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) at the Commission’s Headquarters.
Owasanoye said the ICPC will not work on politically motivated petitions.
“When competition season arrives, there is usually a spike in politically motivated petitions for a wild goose chase.” Some are bold enough to say, “We should make sure to prevent Mr A from running,” and they will file a petition.
“That is not our responsibility, and we will not become involved in such matters.” We basically put those kinds of petitions aside.
“Even if there is a hint of merit in the complaint, we will say “go and compete first.” We are not going to be used to give you a fair or unfair advantage. “When the competition is over, we will decide whether or not what you have presented has merit,” he said.
He, however, explained that ICPC has an existing understanding with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on how to go about genuine electoral petitions when the need arises.”We have an agreement with INEC that if contestants challenge each other in court and the decision says, for example, that someone forged a certificate, INEC will send those things to us.” We are currently prosecuting a few of them.
“Those are the ways in which we will add value without compromising ourselves or exposing our officers to the compromise and desperation of politicians during the campaign,” he said.
The ICPC chief challenged political parties to conduct thorough background checks on their candidates in the interest of the nation, noting that a country’s fortunes were determined by the type of leaders it chose Yabagi Sani, Chairman of IPAC, stated that the visit was to strengthen collaboration with the anti-graft agency in order to ensure that politicians with questionable character were not elected into office.
“All stakeholders must buy into the activities that will lead to the emergence of a government that will preside over the affairs of this nation in order to have free, fair, and credible elections in 2023.”
“We believe that if we can get the leadership recruitment right, which will come from the due diligence we are expected to carry out, the leaders will conduct themselves in a way that will give this country the kind of respect we expect in the commoty of Nations.That is by ensuring that governance is free from all shades of corruption”, Yabagi said.