Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has urged political parties to make drug integrity tests part of the screening requirements for aspirants seeking to contest various political offices on their platforms.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, made the proposal in response to questions from reporters on Wednesday at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja.
“For politicians, we have long advocated and I take the opportunity again to repeat the advocacy that when they run for public office, it demands a lot of responsibility from the person and we need to be certain if he’s a person that is already a drug addict/user who will spend all the money he’s given for public service to consume cocaine and his head will not be in a stable condition to handle the affairs he has been entrusted with,” he said at the agency’s 2022 First Quarter Best Performing Commands Awards ceremony.
“For this reason, we have advocated and will continue to advocate that drug test be conducted for politicians; some state governments like Kano State is already doing this.
“Not just politicians, but government appointees, and I’ve just sent a letter this morning to the National Chairman of APC, who will be the first of the national working committee I wish to pay an advocacy visit on this issue. I recommended that drug tests be incorporated in the screening process for all those interested in running for public office; we’ll do the same to the PDP and other important parties.”