“No Room for Vote Buyers” — EFCC Chairman Speaks on Tackling Fraud in 2027 Elections

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared its readiness to clamp down on vote buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Commission says it will not wait until election day before taking decisive action against offenders.

Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, made this known on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Abuja. He spoke while receiving members of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), led by its President, Mike Ejiofor, at the Commission’s headquarters in Jabi.

Olukoyede stressed that tackling vote buying falls squarely within the Commission’s responsibilities.

He noted that the EFCC has already recorded several convictions in that area, adding that more proactive steps will be taken going forward.

According to him, early planning and intelligence gathering will play a major role in curbing electoral fraud. He made it clear that the Commission is shifting focus from reactive enforcement to preventive strategies.

“There’s this strong link between national security and financial crimes and that is where we need our collaboration. We need to collaborate and synergize. We need you to support the agencies to ensure that we fulfil our mandate,” he said.

The EFCC boss explained that corruption and financial crimes remain deeply connected to insecurity in the country. He called for stronger cooperation between security institutions and professional bodies like AANISS to address the problem.

He also highlighted internal reforms within the Commission. Olukoyede revealed that a special directorate has been created to monitor how public funds are released and used across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. The aim, he said, is to stop fraud before it happens.

“One of the critical things we did was to ensure that we don’t always wait for money to be stolen before we start rolling up our sleeves. So, I set up a Directorate called Fraud Risk Assessment and Control. Now, they are working with MDAs, tracking releases on a monthly basis. We are looking at where the money is going because it costs more to recover than to prevent,” he said.

On asset recovery, the EFCC Chairman described it as a key tool in the anti-corruption fight. He argued that taking away proceeds of crime weakens offenders and discourages future violations.

“As a matter of fact, from day one, we made asset recovery key, because depriving those who perpetrate crime the proceeds of their crimes is a sure way to discourage them. If you allow them to have access to those assets, they will get the best of lawyers and continue to fight you with matters going on for 10 to 15 years in court.”

Olukoyede further urged AANISS to use its platform to educate Nigerians on the dangers of financial crimes. He maintained that without a strong national stance against corruption, achieving lasting security will remain difficult.

“If we don’t take the issue of the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes as a national policy, there is no way we can find security. They are like twins. They are tied together. So, we need your cooperation. Even more, we need your support,” he said.

Earlier, Ejiofor commended the EFCC for its efforts, especially in tackling vote buying. He described electoral malpractice as one of the biggest threats to Nigeria’s democracy.

He said the theme of the Association’s 2026 Annual Lecture, “Credible Elections in Nigeria and National Security,” reflects growing concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

“I must commend the EFCC, because I see the arrests you made over vote buying, which is the greatest challenge we are facing right now in the electoral process. I must commend you,” he said.

Ejiofor urged the Commission to intensify its strategies as 2027 approaches. He also pledged the Association’s support through advisory and technical collaboration.

“As the general election is coming up in 2027, you should intensify and work out more modalities to ensure that vote buying is curtailed. We’re also available to cooperate with you. We will collaborate with the EFCC in terms of consultancy and advice. If you need resource persons, we are available to assist,” he said.