As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather pace, senior lawyer Mohammad Ndarani Mohammad (SAN) has called for a forensic audit of retired civil servants seeking political office, warning that unchecked re-entry of potentially corrupt individuals poses a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Ndarani urged President Bola Tinubu to invoke Section 315 of the Constitution to support reforms aimed at preventing corrupt former public officials from gaining political power.

He described the trend of retired civil servants entering politics without scrutiny of their wealth as “a deep flaw in Nigeria’s governance system,” stressing that while officials are required to declare assets at the beginning of service, there is little or no accountability when they exit office.

According to him, “Many civil servants deliberately loot public funds ahead of retirement to fund their future political ambitions. They often leave office far wealthier than they entered, using stolen resources to contest elections.”

The legal practitioner referenced Section 88(2–7) of the Electoral Act 2022, which regulates campaign financing, lamenting that the provision is often ignored.

Ndarani called for a nationwide forensic audit of all retired civil servants and political officeholders, particularly those pursuing elective positions.

He also proposed a mandatory one-year political ban after retirement to allow for thorough investigation into the financial records and assets of former officials.

He further demanded stricter enforcement of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) rules and the public verification of asset declarations to promote transparency and accountability.

“All former heads of ministries, departments, and agencies should be probed, whether or not they intend to contest elections. This is the only way to restore integrity in governance and prevent looters from recycling themselves into power,” he said. (The Guardian)