SERAP asks EFCC, ICPC to probe APC, PDP primaries

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate allegations of corruption during the recent primaries of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

In the petition dated November 10, 2018 and signed by its senior legal adviser, Bamisope Adeyanju, the SERAP said allegations of bribe payments by candidates to political parties and party officials would undermine the principles of representative and accountable government.

The petition read: Whether or not the allegations are true, the fact that both parties have repeatedly accused each other of corruption raises significant concerns about the influence of money in Nigerian politics and public positions being given in return for cash. If true, the allegations that officials of leading political parties engaged in corrupt acts would weaken public confidence in the electoral and democratic process, and send a damaging message that public offices are for sale and that politicians are interested in public offices only for themselves and not for the common good.

“The allegations of bribe payments by candidates to political parties and party officials should be thoroughly investigated and anyone suspected to be involved prosecuted if the country’s political parties are to win back the trust of citizens.

“When officials of political parties sell access to public offices in return for money, the entire institutions of governance are invariably compromised. SERAP urges both the EFCC and ICPC to proactively act to ensure greater level of transparency and accountability and reduce the risk of corruption among political parties if Nigeria is not to continue to witness damaging allegations of corruption involving political parties.”

“Political corruption undermines the fundamental role of political parties in a democratic system including that of serving as an essential tool of expression of the political will of citizens.”