Following allegations of corruption and calls by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the national leader of the , All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, director-general of the Buhari campaign organisation, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and others alleged to have funded President Muhammadu’s campaign at the last general elections, the party has said only concrete evidence will allow for such.
The PDP had been accusing the EFCC of bias against its members in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign and therefore, challenged the commission to also beam its searchlight on APC chieftains, especially, those believed to have financed the party at the last elections.
PDP reiterated its allegations recently during a visit to the party’s national secretariat by leaders of its senate caucus in the 8th National Assembly led by the Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio. The acting national chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, drew the attention of Buhari to alleged one-sided arrests and prosecutions being conducted by EFCC.
However, the APC national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said yesterday that there was no justification for PDP’s allegations about a one-sided anti-corruption campaign.
“Didn’t the EFCC arrest Governor Murtala Nyako and other politicians who are members of the APC?” Mohammed wondered, stressing, “So I don’t think the EFCC has been one-sided. There is no truth in what the PDP and the senators are saying. This is nothing but cheap blackmail.”
“With what evidence will the EFCC go after Tinubu or Amaechi. What were they accused of? Why will they go after them if there are no petitions against them? If they have any evidence, let them show such evidence or petition against any of these people. They cannot just ask the EFCC to go after someone without concrete evidence of indictment against the person.”
Reacting to the allegation that EFCC was using scare tactics against PDP spokesman Olisah Metuh for exposing wrongdoings of the ruling party, Mohammed said PDP was merely crying wolf as the APC government had no reason to persecute anyone on account of his or her political affiliation.
“Why would he be complaining that someone is after him? As a matter of fact, no one is above the law and being in an opposition does not give anybody immunity from prosecution over corrupt practices,” APC spokesman said.
The statement yesterday signed by Metuh’s special assistant, Mr. Richard Ihediwa, alleged a coordinated assault by anti-PDP forces on the PDP spokesman for daring to speak out against the APC-led administration.
Ihediwa stated: “A credible intelligence information available to us has shown that apart from instigating some unsuspecting persons within our party to peddle lies and insults against Chief Metuh, there is a well-coordinated assault by anti-PDP forces who have engaged heavily paid consultants masquerading as writers and columnists, in addition to social media hirelings, some of who use pseudonyms to attack him for daring to speak out against the undemocratic actions and tendencies of the APC-led administration.”