Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, is accused of giving politicians $115 million to tamper with the 2015 elections, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, made this statement on Wednesday in Lagos during an INEC introduction retreat for new resident electoral commissioners.
Adukwu Michael, the anti-graft agency’s top superintendent, acted as Bawa’s representative.
During the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Diezani served as the minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to 2015.
She fled the country just before President Jonathan ceded power to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
While serving as a minister, the former official is accused of stealing $2.5 billion from the Nigerian government.
She has, however, refuted the accusations, and the EFCC has now started the extradition procedure.
Diezani’s properties, which included 18 apartments and six penthouses, were forfeited to the federal government and are now located in Banana Island Foreshore Estate in Ikoyi, Lagos.
‘OUR FOCUS IS TO DISCOURAGE USE OF MONEY TO INFLUENCE ELECTION’
The EFCC chairperson’s representative said some of the monies allegedly stolen by Diezani have been recovered by the agency.
He revealed that the anti-graft organization is concentrating on how to deter vote buying.
THISDAY cited him as stating, “The commission’s objective in election administration is prohibiting the use of money to influence the outcome of election.”
“Political spending on elections frequently results in vote buying and voter enticement.
Parties frequently use financial inducements to sway voters because they lack adequate and practical policies to win over the electorate.
“Whenever one is induced to sell his vote, he automatically loses moral ground to challenge corrupt tendencies of those elected.
“In the 2015 discreet investigation, the commission was able to uncover a grand plan to compromise the 2015 general election through massive cash payments to politicians.
“$115 million was paid out to politicians by former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madukwe, to compromise the election.
“Some of the money was recovered while many of the culprits are being prosecuted with few convictions recorded. At the heart of EFCC strategy to curb voter inducement is inter-agency collaboration and information sharing.
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“The EFCC is complementing the efforts of other stakeholders in educating the electorate on why it is important for their votes to not be traded.
“We are working with INEC to determine and to enforce provisions of the Electoral Act as it relates to limit of campaign spending by different categories of office seekers. This is an intelligence-driven exercise.”
About Author
- Tijani Pepper is a news reporter at Panel News, and gistreportar. He is a passionate journalist in Politics, Sports development and investigative journalism.
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