Election: EFCC accuse politicians of planning to buy votes in kind

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, on Wednesday, February 22, alleged that politicians are stockpiling old notes to buy votes in Saturday’s general elections.

 Bawa who made the claim while appearing on a Channels Television program, confirmed that officials of the EFCC have been deployed to monitor the polls across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. 

 He also appealed to Nigerians to report vote buying, selling, and other evidence of financial malpractices.

 Bawa said; “We have intelligence that a lot of politicians have bought some items that they will use to buy votes in kind and not in cash. But we are prepared for any situation and will not hesitate to arrest anyone caught in the act. We will watch out for all these things on election day. 

 “I don’t want to say only governors are hoarding naira notes, there are public servants out there doing the same thing or some businessmen with questionable characters are still having these funds in their homes.

 So, I don’t want to say governors are these but I will say that public servants, either retired or serving and some businessmen with questionable characters are on our radar. 

 “The biggest hurdle is if Nigerians don’t buy into what we are doing but I believe once we are united, we would be able to take inadequacies out of our system.”