2023: How we take care of politicians’ petitions throughout election season

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has given an perception into the way it handles politically-motivated petitions throughout election season.

The ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, stated this Thursday whereas internet hosting the management of the Inter-Social gathering Advisory Council (IPAC) on the fee’s headquarters, in line with a press release issued by ICPC spokesperson Azuka Ogugua on Friday.

Mr Owasanoye stated that through the political period, there’s often an upsurge within the variety of politically-motivated petitions that politicians ship to anti-corruption companies to outdo their opponents.

“Normally when the season for competitors comes, there’s a spike in politically-motivated petitions for wild-goose chases. Some are brazen sufficient to inform you that ‘we should always ensure to cease Mr A from contesting’ and they’ll convey a petition ahead. That’s not our job, and we is not going to get entangled in these issues.

“We pack these kind of petitions apart principally. Even when there’s implication of benefit inside the criticism, we are going to say ‘go and compete first’.

“We’re not going to be the one for use to provide the honest or unfair benefit. When the competitors is over, we are going to resolve on the benefit or in any other case of what you might have introduced ahead.”

How ICPC cooperates with INEC

The anti-graft boss, nevertheless, famous that ICPC has an current understanding with the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) on learn how to go about real electoral petitions when the necessity arises.

“We do have an understanding with INEC that in instances the place contestants problem one another in courtroom and the choice says any person solid a certificates, for instance, INEC will ship these issues to us, and we’re prosecuting a number of of them in the intervening time. These are methods we are going to add worth with out compromising ourselves or exposing our officers to the compromise and desperation of politicians through the contest,” he stated.

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Mr Owansanoye additionally challenged political events to do a self-check of candidates they discipline because the fortune of any nation depends on the kind of leaders it will get. He famous that the pruning course of ought to begin with political events in order that “charity ought to start at dwelling”.

Earlier in his deal with, the chairman of IPAC, Yabagi Sani, said that the motive for the go to was for efficient collaboration and help of the anti-graft company in making certain that politicians with questionable characters weren’t elected into workplace.

“The actions that can result in the emergence of a authorities that can preside over the affairs of this nation is one thing that every one stakeholders should purchase into in order to have a free, honest and credible elections come 2023.

“Politics is administration of disaster and we imagine that if we are able to get the recruitment of management proper, which can come from due diligence we’re anticipated to hold out, they (political workplace holders) will conduct themselves in a fashion that can give this nation the type of respect which we’re anticipated to showcase within the eyes of the committee of countries, that’s by making certain that governance is free from all shades of corruption,” Mr Sani stated.