Tinubu and Amaechi
Warns PDP that being in opposition is not immunity from prosecution
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
In a pointed response to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress said yesterday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission would not act against leaders of the ruling party except it has solid evidence.
APC was reacting to calls by PDP for the probe of the ruling party’s national leader, 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.
APC also warned that being in the opposition does not grant PDP members immunity from prosecution, in an unmistakable answer to the opposition party’s allegations about a witch-hunt against its members by EFCC.
PDP had yesterday said its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, had been under incessant and unnecessary attacks by those it called anti-PDP forces seeking to scare him off his statutory role as mouthpiece of the party. The former ruling party had been accusing the EFCC of bias against PDP members in its anticorruption campaign and challenging 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 anticorruption campaign, dismissing the opposition party’s call for probe of APC leaders as cheap blackmail.
“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.”
The APC spokesman said, “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.”
On the allegation that EFCC was using scare tactics against Metuh for exposing wrong-doings of the ruling party, Mohammed said PDP was merely crying wolf. He said the APC government had no reason to persecute anyone on account of his or her political affiliation, adding, however, that no one can cheat or flout the law of the land and expect to hide under the cover of opposition party membership to evade justice.
“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. But it said the opposition spokesman remained undaunted.
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.”
Buhari had affirmed during an exclusive interview on July 21 with CNN's Christiane Amanpour that he will not cover up acts of corruption even among his party members, saying any of his associates found guilty of corruption will face the full weight of the law.
“If any of my associates or party members is indicted of corruption, they cannot escape justice. There is not going to be any APC member or any close personality found guilty that would escape justice,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment