2023: Why EFCC won't talk about petitions against election candidates – Bawa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will not say whether it has received any petitions against candidates running for the upcoming 2023 general election.

Commission Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa said this while answering questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.

The event was the 62nd session of the State House Briefing organized by the Presidential Media Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Asked whether the EFCC had started receiving petitions regarding presidential candidates ahead of the 2023 elections, Mr. Bawa replied that the commission could not give such information so as not to be accused of politicizing its operations.

Although Mr. Bawa said the EFCC would not make public those against whom allegations were made, he said that a division of the commission called the Petition Verification Office/Committee reviews petitions for determine if they meet agency standards.

He said: "On whether we have received any petitions against high profile politicians running. My question at this hour do you want us to start inviting all presidential candidates to come and do statements? The same media will say it's politically motivated.

"We work behind the scenes on all the petitions we receive to see which ones have merit, which is why we don't politicize them.

"And that's why we have what we call a Petition Verification Office/Committee comprised of experienced legal department officers as well as trained investigators who will review these petitions to see if they comply with our own warrant before they will recommend whether they will be prosecuted by the EFCC.

“We have benchmarks that we can follow, that guide us, you know, in terms of accepting or rejecting petitions, you know, because we also have benchmarks that have even been made public to guide petitioners on the requirements to petition for merit.

"I hope this question is not politically motivated?"

The EFCC boss said the commission was working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the issue of ending vote-buying and other corrupt activities during the elections

“We do a lot about this. We work with INEC and a lot of people, but at the end of the day we want to work with Nigerians. votes are bought by these people.

“We hope and pray that our modest efforts will be able to reduce this problem of vote buying in the February and March elections,” he said.

The EFCC chairman also said that some state governors were on the anti-corruption agency's watch list.

The EFCC previously revealed that three sitting state governors were under surveillance for measures to launder money through the payment of wages to workers.

Last month, Mr. Bawa told State House reporters that the number of governors on his watch list had increased.

“Certainly, we are watching a lot of it, and a lot of Nigerians have also provided us with information here and there, and we are watching. You can also help us with any information you have,” he said. ...