Politics

EFCC chair to gov: Provide evidence I demanded $2m bribe from you

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has asked Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, to provide concrete evidence that he demanded $2 million bribe from him.

Matawalle, in an interview with BBC Hausa on Thursday, accused Bawa of demanding $2 million bribe from him.

“Let him vacate office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring evidence of bribe he collected from them. He knows what he requested from me but I declined.

“He requested a bribe of $2 million from me and I have evidence of this. He knows the house we met, he invited me and told me the conditions. He told me governors were going to his office but I did not. If I don’t have evidence, I won’t say this,” the governor had said.

Reacting, the EFCC chairman, in a statement issued on Friday, May 19, by the spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, said Matawalle should go beyond the accusation by providing concrete evidence as proof of his allegations.

Uwujaren stated: “Matawalle’s recourse to mudslinging is symptomatic of a drowning man clutching at straws. But despite the irritation of his phantom claims, the Commission will not be drawn into a mud fight with a suspect under its investigation for corruption and unconscionable pillage of the resources of his state.

“If Matawalle will be taken seriously, he should go beyond sabre-rattling by spilling the beans – provide concrete evidence as proof of his allegations.

“Again, the Commission wishes to alert the public about plans by some of the alleged corrupt politically exposed persons to flee the country ahead of May 29. The Commission is working in close collaboration with its international partners to frustrate these escape plans and bring those involved to justice.”

Governor Matawalle has been in a rift with Bawa after he disclosed that the EFCC Chairman sent invitations to all outgoing governors and commissioners in a bid to commence an investigation for alleged corruption and abuse perpetrated by them while in office.

The governor also accused Bawa of being corrupt, especially in the agency’s handling of assets disposal and plea bargain processes, adding that the EFCC chairman should extend the planned probe to the officials of the Presidency and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Reacting at a press conference at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, May 18, the Director Public Affairs of the commission, Osita Nwajah, said Matawalle’s outburst was tantamount to corruption fighting back, noting that the governor is under investigation for alleged corruption that bordered on contract fraud and diversion of funds meant for the execution of projects in the Local Government Areas of Zamfara State to the tune of N70 billion.

The Star