NDLEA asks political parties to make drug test mandatory for elective office hopefuls

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has asked political parties to make drug integrity tests part of the screening requirement for persons seeking political offices in the 2023 elections. 

Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, said this on Wednesday at the 2022 Best Performing Commands Awards ceremony held in Abuja.

Marwa said he has written a letter to the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct drug tests on all the party’s aspirants, adding that he will write to the PDP and other political parties.

“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.

“For this reason, we have advocated and will continue to advocate that drug tests be conducted for politicians; some state governments like Kano state are 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 into the screening process for all those interested in running for public office, we’ll do the same to the PDP and other important parties.”