By Aderinola Abimbola
Ola Olukoyede, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has stated that the commission is not politically affiliated.
He also dismissed the allegations levied against the commission concerning blackmail.
Olukoyede explained that the commission was currently involved in anti-graft war and that it was not a tool of blackmail for the opposition to the current ruling party in Nigeria
“We have used the instrumentality of the work to stimulate the economy. We looked inwards to see areas to firm up.It is important for me and my colleagues in the EFCC that if we’re going to fight corruption, we will fight it with integrity. We have been able to do away with about 27 bad eggs, who do not fit into the system.I’m very sure that Nigerians will attest to the fact that politics has not been introduced into the mandate of EFCC. Yes, people will read the meaning of whatever you do. I am not a politician; and as far as I know, no member of my operative is deeply involved in politics.” Olukoyede stated.
He said that the body was committed to its core values and that he was not politically affiliated with any political party.
“So, we do our work in line with our mandate, which is investigating anyone involved in financial crimes.And if such people are found culpable or if we are able to establish a case against you, we go on. I can tell you that we have stayed within that mandate. On allegation of using EFCC to hound the opposition figures to force them to join the ruling party, he said: “You’ll agree with me that I have not been appointed as chairman of any political party.”
Olukoyede denied politically blackmailing former Delta Stata Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, saying that politics is not a part of the agency’s mandate.
“If Nigerians will be fair to us, and check our high profile cases, perhaps, you might find prominent members of the ruling party. My mandate is: if I discovered or it is alleged you have stolen money, you’ll have a case to answer. Politics has not been introduced into our mandate. Investigation has since begun into his case. Like I told you, we are driven by principles of our mandate. Nigerians should also know that we have had cause to investigate and prosecute prominent members of the ruling party.It is not our mandate to make anyone join any political party, as I am neither a secretary nor chairman of any political party,” he clarified.
