CORRUPT INEC OFFICIALS: CACOL CALLS ON EFCC TO REACT EXPEDIENTLY

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders CACOL, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to submit its report on the Officials of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC that are suspected of corruption in electioneering processes based on the investigations done thus far.

A media report recently disclosed that the EFCC is currently investigating more than 100 Officials of the Electoral Commission for alleged bribery during the last general elections.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran speaking on the issue charged the EFFC to be steadfast in the discharge of its duties. “By now, EFCC should have completed its investigations in most of the corrupt practice cases that were perpetrated during various electioneering processes because the INEC have placed its part by submitting it reports to the Agency. The names of the corrupt INEC Officials so far released to EFCC and the status of each of the case needs to be known, so that those that are culpable will face the full wrath of law.”

“The anti-corruption stance of the present regime led by President Muhammed Buhari will remain a mockery of what it should be if the politically corrupt keep using dubious and violence means to find their way into government. It will also be an indication that the change needed in the country cannot be achieved because the ‘old’ order is being kept intact. That this appears apparently like what the regime intends do, in spite of the glaring fundamental flaws is antithetical to the real change our country needs urgently and very disappointing!” Adeniran averred

CACOL’s Chairman said,”INEC is the hope of the common Nigerian when it comes to voting our leaders into power, it is very sad and disappointing that some of the Officials cannot be trusted, as they end up helping this politically corrupt leaders to manipulate their way into power by rigging the elections into their favour.”

“Thus we call on the EFCC to expedite action on all the corruption cases linked with electioneering processes as this would in the very long run make it tedious for corrupt elements to get to power. That is how we can keep the ‘rats and cockroaches’ away from government as we would have lawfully denied them of access to our Commonwealth. Beyond this, the Commission has the constitutional backing to act on this all important situation to nip political corruption in the bud.” He added

“We are counting on INEC and also asking that they should not relent in the fight against corruption within their ranks because we believe that there are still more corrupt Officers among the Personnel of the electoral body.”

“INEC should implement the provisions of its law by ensuring that the cost of electioneering is strictly monitored and any political party or individual that refuses to abide by it should be adequately sectioned. There should be punishment for beneficiaries of electoral fraud; the reason why they continue to perpetrate electoral fraud is because they were never punished for such act. The sanctions may not necessarily be capital, but if anybody dies in the wake of electoral malpractices, then the offenders should go to jail, but if nobody dies and no damage was caused to life and property, then the offenders should be banned from participating in politics – depending on the gravity of their offence. Offenders should get imprisonment ranging from eight years to life sentences.” concluded Mr. Adeniran