Electoral dispute: Group urges EFCC to probe alleged N50bn earmarked to bribe judges

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Ijaw Renaissance Movement (IRM) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on the ongoing judicial process challenging the victory of Governor Douye Diri in the last election in the state.

The stakeholders said they decided to beckon on the EFCC following allegations that Diri had mobilised over N50bn to influence the outcome of the court process.

The Secretary of IRM, Nisakpo Augustine, said they became concerned about the allegation after billions of taxpayers’ money were deployed by the Diri-led administration to compromise the sanctity of the last election through vote-buying.

Augustine in a statement in Yenagoa said with such a high level of voter inducement, they would no longer doubt the capacity of the present Bayelsa government to settle all its disputes through bribery.

He said: “As unfortunate as this seems, it is still a reminder of the November 11 Governorship elections where billions of Bayelsa tax payers’ monies were hurled into the system for similar purposes and that is why every well-meaning Ijaw and Bayelsan must take this alarm serious this time.

“In a state that ranks shyly on the poverty index, with infrastructural left deficit; in a state that has abandoned the shiny prospects of its youths, that has a hazy roadmap and that is nearly nil on investments, pursuing personal political dreams with what is left of the treasury is almost inhumane and narcissistic”.

Augustine said recently that they had been on the trail of a Governorship Candidate from a Northern State, who bought a property in Abuja with his share of the  Bayelsa loot.

He, however, expressed confidence in the country’s judiciary to toe the path of justice, especially given recent court judgements.

He said: “We, naturally, would have ignored the reports before us if not for the sordid precedence already set last year.

“The bright side is that our judiciary has markedly matured and far more fair than those in Creek Haven are imagining. The recent court judgments are a testament, and we believe that our judiciary and our very honourable Judges are not for sale.

“We call on the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission to look into the financial transactions of Bayelsa State and Senator Douye Diri during this period.

“We call on Bayelsans and Ijaws both home and abroad to pay attention to the unbecoming political spending in the state as it is at the centre of Bayelsa’s glaring underdevelopment.

“We will keep tabs and work with our reports and liaise with specific agencies of the government if the plan to pump in billions of Bayelsa taxpayers’ monies in a bid to influence the 11 November governorship from the tribunal up to the Supreme Court is not abandoned forthwith”.