By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Saturday, challenged Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State to prove his $2m bribe allegation against its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
Matawalle had in an interview with BBC Hausa, made the bribery allegation against Bawa. This was after the anti-graft agency revealed that the Zamfara governor is being investigated for allegedly diverting over N70 billion state funds.
Speaking during the interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Matawalle denied embezzling the state funds, while calling for the EFCC chair’s resignation, saying Bawa had questions to answer on corruption.
“It is not just to always blame governors. It is not only governors who have treasury, the federal government also has. What does the EFCC boss do to them? As he is claiming he has evidence on governors, let him show to the world evidence of those at the federal level.
“If he exits office, people will surely know he is not an honest person. I have evidence against him. Let him vacate office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring evidences 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,” Matawalle claimed.
Reacting to the allegations on Saturday, the EFCC said 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.
“Matawalle’s recourse to mudslinging is symptomatic of a drowning man clutching at straws,” EFCC said. “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,”
the anti-graft agency noted.
The EFCC also alerted members of the public about alleged plans by some of the “corrupt politically exposed persons” to flee the country ahead of their May 29 handover.
“The Commission is working in close collaboration with its international partners to frustrate these escape plans and bring those involved to justice,” the commission said.