TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its operatives have intercepted the sum of N32.4 million suspected to be for buying votes in Lagos state.

The agency, in a statement on Friday, said a suspect has been taken into custody for questioning over the development.

In a photo accompanying the EFCC statement, N1,000 notes in bundles were displayed.

“The massive operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to deter vote trading and other financial malfeasance ahead of tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections may have begun paying dividends with the interception in Lagos of the sum of N32,400,000 (Thirty-two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) allegedly suspected to be used for vote buying in Lagos,” the statement reads.

“The recovery was made by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Commission.

“The suspect involved has been taken into custody for further questioning.”

Speaking on steps to tackle vote-buying across the country, Abdulrasheed Bawa, the EFCC chairperson, also advised personnel of the commission assigned to monitor elections “to show courage and not give room for unscrupulous persons to undermine the integrity of the elections through financial inducement”.

The discovery by the EFCC in Lagos comes hours after the Rivers state police command said it arrested Chinyere Igwe, a member of the house of representatives, with $498,100 cash during a stop-and-search.

Igwe is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker representing Port Harcourt II federal constituency.

He is also a supporter of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP.

Grace Iringe-Koko, the Rivers police spokesperson, said the lawmaker was apprehended with a list for the distribution of the money.