In advance of the upcoming elections in Nigeria in 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has issued a stern warning to its political adversaries.
The commission chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, issued a warning to politicians not to file pointless petitions against political opponents in a statement released by his spokesman, Azuka Ogugua, on Friday.
The head of the commission also charged that certain politicians had exploited security and anti-corruption organizations to outdo rivals and opponents.
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This was said by Owasanoye on Friday when hosting the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) leadership at the commission’s headquarters.
But he added that the ICPC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) already have a plan in place for how to handle legitimate electoral petitions when the time comes.
He said: “Usually when the season for competition comes, there is a spike in politically-motivated petitions for wild-goose chases. Some are bold 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. We pack those types of petitions aside basically.
“Even if there is the implication of merit within the complaint, we will say ‘go and compete first’.
“We will not 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
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“We do have an understanding with INEC that in cases where contestants challenge each other in court and the decision says somebody forged a certificate, 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.”
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