As the 2023 elections draw near, Alliances for Africa (AFA), has partnered Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Imo State to ensure that there’s anti-corruption accountability and transparency in the electoral process, public and private institutions
This event which took place last Wednesday sought to gain insights on the commission’s operations with respect to electoral corruption, public sector corruption.
Speaking during an advocacy visit to ICPC, Lilian Ibeh noted that the project is under their anticorruption project with support from CISLAC and MacArthur, adding that it tends to establish a working relationship with ICPC.
Lilian noted that, there’s need to reduce corruption in Nigeria by educating and mobilizing citizens’ group and galvanizing support for anti-corruption among political parties, frontline candidates and critical interest groups and networks involved in the 2023 electoral process, adding that when state level anti-corruption agencies demand for gender and social inclusion in the state, it will lead to electoral and constitutional reforms.
Lilian called on ICPC to strengthen working relationship between her and other electoral bodies, lend her voice to the establishment of national/state electoral offences commission, undergo vigorous voters sensitization, enlightenment and mobilization of electorate at grassroots levels as well as political parties, stressing that ICPC needs to frown at the incidence of vote buying which is an integral part of corruption.
She however commended ICPC and urged them to increase their efforts in fighting corruption in public spaces, especially the issues of constructing roads with substandard materials.
While expressing gratitude to AFA team for working to improve the quality of good governance in the state, the state Resident Anti-corruption Commissioner, Mr. Peter Alumbugu, assured AFA team of the commission’s commitment to fulfilling their mandate.
He informed the Team about the commission’s mobile application platform ‘Wahala Dey’ an anonymous whistle blowing for corrupt practices and encouraged more reporting, petitions and complaints of corrupt practices happening both within government agencies and parastatals as well as the private sectors.
The commissioner noted that the commission is doing a lot to curtail corruption in the state, adding that they’re developing modules to check corruption in the MDAs and private sectors. He stated that they have continued to speak to organizations at each fora on voters sensitization enlightenment and mobilization for political stability, especially against vote buying and selling.
He however called on the citizenry to report any act of bribe giving and taking to the commission for investigation and prosection, adding that once any case has to deal with financial fraud, they will wade in for action.
As outcome of the visit, AFA has assured of registering as a member of the National Anti Corruption Coalition (NACC) all in a bid to increase demand for transparency and accountability in the governance process.
However the discussion elicited ideas believed to be useful in abating identified challenges and consequently, fostering anti-corruption, transparency and accountability in state processes.
