The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has told politicians to desist from sending frivolous petitions against political opponents as the 2023 elections approaches.
It said some politicians tend to weaponise anti-corruption agencies with politically motivated petitions in order to outdo their opponents, warning that such moves would not work.
ICPC spokesman, Azuka Ogugua, said the chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, stated this while hosting the leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Abuja.
“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. 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.
He noted that the ICPC had an existing understanding with INEC on how to go about genuine electoral petitions when the need arises.
“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.” he said.
Earlier in his address, the chairman of IPAC, Engineer Yabagi Sani, stated that the motive for the visit was for effective collaboration and support of the anti-graft agency in ensuring that politicians with questionable characters were not elected into office.
