The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are said to be
sleeping on duty on its promise to monitor the sources of campaign
spendings.
The assertion is coming from Senator Shehu Sani, lawmaker representing Kaduna Central at the Senate.
The
EFCC had, at a one-day retreat for 36 state governors and key election
stakeholders held in Abuja last month, warned politicians against misuse
of public funds for the forthcoming general elections.
At the
event, the anti-graft agency pledge to closely watch the deployment of
finance by political parties to ensure that the use of public funds to
finance election is curbed.
“To minimise corruption and the use
of public funds to fund political parties and finance elections, there
is need for greater effectiveness,” Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of
the EFCC said at the event.
“In enforcing the provisions of the
various electoral laws in Nigeria especially as they relate to penalties
upon breach of their provisions.
“Political parties should be
required to keep proper records of all incomes, contributions and
expenditure, and to open their books for inspection by relevant security
agencies after every electioneering cycle,” Magu added.
But for
the Kaduna lawmaker, the anti-graft agency has turned a blind eye to the
campaign spending that has been going on thus far.
“Somewhere I
read anti corruption agencies warning and threatening that they will
monitor campaign spending ;and Somewhere I read about serving state
Governors comfortably donating cars and Buses for Campaigns,” Senator
Sani said in a tweet on Monday.
Earlier in the month, an All
Progressive Congress (APC) lawmaker at the House of Representatives
donated about 110 vehicles to the President Muhammadu Buhari re-election
campaign team.
Umar Bago (Niger State) during the presentation
of his donation called on the electorate to vote for continuity in the
2019 general elections by re-electing the Mr Buhari.
Recently,
another donation of 18 vehicles was made to boast the campaign team of
the president. The gift came from a serving state governor.
Rotimi
Akeredolu, Ondo State governor said the donation was in furtherance to
his commitment to the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice
President, Yemi Osinbanjo.
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