Zamfara Governor Accuses EFCC Chairman of Demanding $2 Million Bribe

How Bawa’s Bribe Request Exposed EFCC’s Double Standards

Patrick OdeyMay 19, 2023

1 minute read

The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has publicly accused the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, of soliciting a $2 million bribe from him. This allegation comes amid a growing rift between the governor and the anti-graft agency over corruption charges.

Newsflash Nigeria reports that Governor Matawalle had earlier called for Bawa’s resignation in a statement released on Wednesday, claiming that the EFCC Chairman should face scrutiny over corruption allegations.

Bawa, however, denied these claims, saying that he has nothing to hide and urging the governor to petition relevant authorities if he has any evidence against him.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, Matawalle further expressed his distrust of Bawa and questioned the EFCC’s selective investigation, saying, “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.”

Matawalle is a former member of the House of Representatives who became the governor of Zamfara State in 2019 after a Supreme Court ruling disqualified the original winner.

He defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 20211. He is currently under investigation by the EFCC for alleged diversion of N70 billion.