Nigeria's anti-corruption squad will step up scrutiny of politicians ahead of next year's elections to stop those tainted by graft from gaining office, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said.
"We want to ensure that people who have skeletons in their cupboards are made to bring them out," EFCC boss Nuhu Ribadu told Reuters in an interview.
He said the EFCC had put political cases on hold while a campaign to allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to stand for a third term was under way, to avoid charges it was taking sides. But the third-term effort was defeated on May 16 and the commission can resume its work. "Now we will intensify (investigations of politicians) because we are at a very critical period in the history of this country," Ribadu said.
The 2007 poll should mark the first time that one civilian president hands over to another through elections in Africa's most populous country, which was ruled by military dictators almost continuously from 1966 to 1999.
Nigeria, a major exporter of crude oil, is ranked sixth most corrupt country in the world by watchdog Transparency International. Petrodollars have fuelled the problem.
Ribadu said any compelling evidence of corruption by would-be candidates would be made public, presented to their political parties, or if possible used in prosecutions.
"If we are able to work hard and reduce chances of fraudsters gaining political office - and we have a lot of them around, with big money - then I think we will be doing ourselves a great service," he said.
Two former army rulers, Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari, are among the top contenders for the presidency, as well as Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Ribadu declined to comment on media reports that EFCC is probing these men's accounts, but said no one was shielded from the agency's searchlight.
EFCC is investigating another presidential hopeful, Buba Marwa, after some funds looted under former military dictator Sani Abacha were found in Marwa's bank account in Jersey, Ribadu said. That probe has not been concluded.
The EFCC chief said about two thirds of Nigeria's 36 state governors, who have discretionary powers over huge public funds, were under scrutiny and he was working to get some of them impeached by their state assemblies before the elections.
The governors have immunity from prosecution while in office so impeachment is the only way to go after them.
"But it's very difficult because most of them are in total control of these assemblies. They've spent so much money to ensure that (an impeachment) doesn't happen," Ribadu said.
Only one governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of oil-producing Bayelsa state, has been impeached. That was after he jumped bail in Britain, where he was charged with money-laundering, and returned to Bayelsa hoping his immunity would protect him.
Alamieyeseigha is now on trial in Lagos and Ribadu said he was hopeful the ex-governor would be convicted soon. EFCC would prosecute many governors when their terms ended, Ribadu said. "Justice will catch up with them in the end."
The agency, set up in 2003, faces constant criticism that it is used as a political tool by the presidency to undermine opponents, but Ribadu denied the accusation and said politicians attacked the anti-corruption squad out of fear.
"They are desperate to cling to power and continue to do what they like with the country. They are very rich and powerful people. They've always had it so easy, and suddenly something has changed, someone is challenging them and saying that enough is enough. It's a huge threat to them."