The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dared the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, to provide proof of corruption allegation against the Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
Recall that the anti-graft agency, on Thursday, said it is investigating Matawalle for allegedly diverting N70 billion meant for contracts in Zamfara State.
But, Matawalle had alleged in an interview he granted to the BBC Hausa that Bawa had asked for $2 million from him.
“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 evidence of the 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 told BBC Hausa.
While reacting to the allegation, the anti-graft agency, in a statement issued on Friday night, by its Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said it will not be drawn into a “mud fight with a suspect under its investigation for corruption and unconscionable pillage of the resources.”
It challenged Matawalle to provide proof of his allegation, and further alerted the public about plans by some of the alleged corrupt politically exposed persons to flee the country ahead of the May 29 inauguration.
The statement read: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a trending interview granted to the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, by Bello Muhammed Matawalle, Governor of Zamfara State, where he allegedly made wild bribery allegations against the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.
“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.”
The Governor had, in a statement on Wednesday, called for Bawa’s resignation, saying he had questions to answer on corruption.
