Godswill Akpabio
The All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has said that the position of Senate Minority Leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, on the decision by the Senate to probe the alleged diversion of over N1trillion of stolen funds recovered from looters by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, is “a declaration of war on not just President Muhammadu Buhari but on Nigeria”.
The Senate committee on Ethics and Privileges is investigating Mr. Lamorde, after it received a petition from George Uboh, the Chief Executive Officer of an Abuja based firm, Panic Alert Security Systems, the EFCC boss of fraud amounting to over N1 trillion.
In his reaction through a statement signed by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Mr. Lamorde said he had no fear for the Senate probe or “request for information regarding its activities by individuals, groups or organs of government; so far as such requests followed due process of law”.
But the PDP Senate Caucus, in a statement signed by Mr. Akpabio and other principal officers belonging to the party on Monday, advised the Ethics committee to shelve the probe.
“The PDP leadership in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties and or functions but we feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on the most important assignment, particularly since the same action was mooted and had failed at previous plenary session.
“We therefore urge the committee to suspend its public hearing on this particular matter until further notice,” they said.
In its response, on Tuesday, the APC said the rebellion against the planned probe by the PDP caucus in the Senate “on the orders of Akpabio is a litmus test to the Buhari led administration to prove that it is ready and determined to fight corruption, irrespective of who is involved”.
The party also said the objection to the planed probe of how over N1trillion said to have been recovered from a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and a former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun was diverted by Lamorde, in connivance with other EFCC officials thereby short-changing the Federal Government in the remittance of funds and property recovered “is a perfect opportunity for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to choose whose side of the divide he belongs”.
“We find it hypocritical for Akpabio to say that his PDP led minority caucus in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties but feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on the most important assignment.
“We hereby state categorically and for the records that now than ever is the best time to probe not just the N1trillion diversion but also how Akpabio himself as Emperor of Akwa Ibom between 2007-2012 looted over N4 trillion,” the APC said.
It added: “Akpabio’s call on the Senate committee to suspend its public hearing on this uncommon fraud until further notice is the highest degree of legislative irresponsibility by the PDP Senate Minority Leader and goes further to show the world the character and mindset of the calibre of some people who temporary smuggled their way into the National Assembly to make laws for Nigerians. It is ridiculous that Mr. Akpabio could play to the gallery by asserting that Nigerians need peace at this period of economic challenges precipitated by the falling of oil prices and actions when in reality the greatest threat to national peace and security is any attempt by any person or group of persons to undermine the efforts of the government to bring to book the likes of Mr. Akpabio and his co-travellers who looted the state with great impunity”.
The party called on the president not to treat Mr. Akpabio’s threat to National peace and stability and his conspiracy “to undermine the administration’s war against corruption” with levity but to rise up to the challenge of giving the anti-corruption crusade the attention, urgency and political will it deserves if the change he promised Nigerians is to be realised.
The party also called on the Senate President, Mr. Saraki, to prove that he is on the side of the government and the Nigerian people or be ready to face a mass revolt from the masses.
The APC appealed to the president to overhaul the EFCC for greater efficiency and effectiveness, noting with dismay that a situation where by the head of such a strategic anti-corruption agency is in itself corrupt, shows the corruption war is dead on arrival.
The statement called on the Presidency to go all out to probe Messrs. Lamorde and Akpabio and bring them to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We want to use this medium to remind Akpabio that the era of impunity is over, likewise the era where stealing and looting of public funds was considered a directive principle of state policy as was witnessed in Akwa Ibom in the last eight years. Rather than dissipate energy over a lost battle, we urge Akpabio to go and defend his election before the tribunal,” the party added.
PT
No comments:
Post a Comment