The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has warned politicians to desist from sending frivolous
petitions against political opponents.
According to a statement by Azuka Ogugua, ICPC spokesperson,
Bolaji Owasanoye, ICPC chairman, said this on Friday while hosting the
leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) at the commission’s
headquarters.
According to the statement, Owasanoye said some politicians
use anti-corruption agencies in order to outdo their opponents.
“Usually, when the season for competition comes, there is a spike in politically-motivated petitions for wild-goose chases. Some are brazen enough to tell you that we should make sure to stop Mr A from contesting and they will bring a petition forward. That is not our job, and we will not get involved in those things. We pack those type of petitions aside basically,” he said.
“Even if there is
implication of merit within the complaint, we will say ‘go and compete first’.
“We are not going to be the one to be used to give you the
fair or unfair advantage. When the competition is over, we will decide on the
merit or otherwise of what you have brought forward.”
He said the ICPC, however, has an existing understanding
with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on how address
genuine electoral petitions when the need arises.
“We do have an
understanding with INEC that in cases where contestants challenge each other in
court and the decision says somebody forged a certificate for example, INEC
will send those things to us, and we are prosecuting a few of them at the
moment.
“Those are ways we will add value without compromising
ourselves or exposing our officers to the compromise and desperation of
politicians during the contest.”
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