The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) have been urged to turn their searchlight on the National Assembly members at both the upper and the lower legislative chambers.
The Campaign for Democracy (CD), which made appeal, specifically called for thorough probe of the alleged bribery involving a ranking senator and 70 newly elected senators for the 10th Senate.
The media last week, reported a meeting between a senator and senators-elect when the sum of $10, 000 were allegedly shared to the 70 Senators. A statement signed by Secretary General, CD, Pst Ifeanyi Odili, said: “We have it through our impeccable source that some ranking Senators have started using their ill-gotten wealth to woo the returning Senators and the new members who have just received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with dollars and other hard currencies in other to win their votes when electing principal officers of the NASS.
“If we allow these politicians to use money to induce the newly elected members of the 10th National Assembly, the nation will not really get it right again.
“We are afraid that such practice could plunge the nation into another round of quagmire and the leadership of the National Assembly will not be able to join hands with the executive to fight corruption headlong since they are products of corruption. It takes a corrupt Senator to lobby positions with money.
“We have reliably gathered that aspirants for the position of the Senate Presidency have started reaching out to both returning and newly elected Senators with huge amount of hard currencies with a view to getting their vote on assumption of office come June, 2023. He therefore urged the ICPC to as a matter of urgency, swing into action and probe the disturbing phenomenon to save our nascent democracy.
“The anti-graft agencies should also ensure that no Senator facing corruption charges or have pending cases in court is allowed to take a sensitive position in the 10th Senate.”
