The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, November 30, said that its investigation shows that Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, gave some politicians $115 million to compromise the 2015 general elections.
The EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, made this known on Wednesday at an induction retreat for new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Lagos state.
Bawa was represented by Adukwu Michael, the chief superintendent of the anti-graft agency.
Diezani was the minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to 2015 during the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan, The Cable reports.
She left the country shortly before Jonathan handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
The former minister stole $2.5 billion from the federal government while she was a minister.
The EFCC had commenced a process to extradite her despite the fact that the former minister denied the allegations levelled against her.
The federal government had gained forfeiture of Diezani’s properties located in Banana Island Foreshore estate, Ikoyi, Lagos state, including 18 flats and six penthouses.
Bawa said that some of the funds stolen by Diezani have been recovered by the agency.
He also disclosed that the anti-graft agency is focusing on how to discourage vote buying.
Bawa stated that, “The commission’s focus in election management is discouraging the use of money to influence the outcome of election.
“Electoral spending by politicians often leads to voter inducement and vote buying.
“Political parties often induce voter with money because they lack proper and realistic policies to convince the electorate to vote them into power.
“Whenever one is induced to sell his vote, he automatically loses moral ground to challenge corrupt tendencies of those elected.
“During a 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 some politicians by former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madukwe, to compromise the election.
“Some of the funds were 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.
“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,” he added.
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