The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dared Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, to provide proof of his bribery claim against the chairman of the Commission.
Matawalle had accused the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of demanding $2 million bribe from him.
He made this allegation in an interview with BBC Hausa, claiming that Bawa is not trustworthy.
He said: “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.”
Meanwhile, prior his revealation, Matawalle had in a statement on Wednesday, called for Bawa’s resignation, saying he had proof of his corrupt acts.
However, in a statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Friday night, the Commission said it will not be drawn into a “mud fight with a suspect under its investigation for corruption and unconscionable pillage of the resources
“If Matawalle will be taken seriously, he should go beyond sabre-rattling by spilling the beans – provide concrete evidence as proof of his allegations.”
Uwujaren said the Commission wishes to alert the public about plans by some alleged corrupt politically exposed persons to flee the country ahead of May 29.
He added that the Commission was working in close collaboration with its international partners to frustrate these escape plans and bring those involved to justice.