Congress (APC) of compromising the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in a bid to work against it (PDP).
The opposition party said the "open directive" by the APC to the
security agencies to quickly conclude the investigation and
prosecution of key opposition leaders before the 2019 elections, has
further confirmed that the anti-graft agencies are being tele-guided
by the ruling party.
Earlier, the APC urged the EFCC not to relent in its efforts to
unravel the truth about the corruption allegations against public
officials, especially that of the Deputy Senate President, Ike
Ekweremadu
The party also asked the ICPC and other anti-graft bodies to intensify
efforts at investigating and recovering public funds and assets that
have been stolen by public officials.
The ruling party also said the anti-graft agencies should ensure that
it digs up all corruption cases involving politicians, "so that only
those that passed the integrity test can offer themselves to contest
the 2019 general election".
However in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola
Ologbondiyan, the PDP called the attention of Nigerians and the
international community to APC's statement, alleging it was a direct
directive to the EFCC to drag Mr Ekweremadu to court on trumped up
charges, stampede his prosecution and put him out of circulation
before the 2019 elections.
The PDP described as not "a mere coincidence", the invitation by EFCC
to Mr Ekweremadu which was dated July 24, 2018, "the same morning his
residence and that of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, were
simultaneously besieged by EFCC operatives and policemen, in a failed
attempt to illegally impeach them."
"The series of interference by the APC in the work of the anti-graft
agencies, coupled with the August 7, 2018 siege to the National
Assembly by the Department of State Security, confirms a sinister plot
by the APC led administration not only to arrest and detain Saraki and
Ekweremadu to illegally remove them, but also to besmear and destroy
the opposition ahead of 2019 general elections.
"Being unable to find Ekweremadu wanting in its many probes, the APC
now relies on procured cooked up allegations in a bid to get at him at
all cost," part of the statement read.
The party also said it is not ironical that the APC-led government,
"that was quick to explain that a serving military officer bought his
Dubai property from his savings, does not think that (Ekweremadu) a
former Local Government Chairman, former Chief of Staff to Governor,
former Secretary to Enugu State Government, Senator since 2003, Deputy
Senate President since 2007, former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, and
owner of a thriving law firm has earned enough legitimate incomes to
invest in real estate."
It, thereafter, rejected the "illegal use of the EFCC and ICPC as
political tools by the APC to harass, intimidate and drag down
opposition members, in their failed bid to weaken the opposition ahead
of the 2019 general elections"
It called on Nigerians to hold the APC and Buhari Presidency
responsible, if harm befalls any PDP leader as the 2019 elections
appoaches.
Mr Ekweremadu has come under intense public scrutiny as multiple
allegations of illicit purchase of posh properties, largely outside
Nigerian shores by him feature regularly in the media.
Earlier this year, he was accused of owning properties in the United
States, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, although he
regularly denies the allegation.
The Presidential Panel on Recovery of Public Properties said it traced
13 assets to Mr Ekweremadu in those three countries. Efforts aimed at
seizing the properties were still on, reports said.
In 2016, he was arraigned before a federal judge in Abuja on
allegations that he forged parliament standing rules at the resumption
of the current session in June 2015. He also denied these allegations.
Anti-graft detectives appeared to be tightening the noose on Mr
Ekweremadu's activities, in recent weeks.
On July 24, the EFCC sent operatives to surround Mr Ekweremadu's house
in a bid to arrest him. The move was largely deemed controversial,
coming simultaneously as Mr Saraki was allegedly being prevented from
leaving his residence.
Mr Saraki further accused the Buhari administration of taking
desperate and undemocratic measures to thwart his planned defection
from the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The operatives were later ordered to stand down, after hours of siege
which was met with widespread condemnation.
An EFCC letter later emerged on the same day asking Mr Ekweremadu to
turn himself in for questioning over alleged conspiracy, money
laundering and other illicit dealings.
Messrs Saraki and Ekweremadu quickly saw the development as a
desperate attempt by the Buhari administration to prevent a planned
mass defection of lawmakers. This claim was later corroborated by
PREMIUM TIMES' independent findings.
The presidency, however, fiercely rejected claims that President
Muhammadu Buhari sanctioned the questionable tactics deployed by his
top aides, warning politicians against meddling in the operations of
law enforcement authorities.
Mr Ekweremadu's most recent encounter with the EFCC was on July 31
when he turned himself in at the EFCC office following days of tension
between him and operatives working on leads they said suggested a
pattern of questionable acquisition of properties within and outside
Nigeria.
The politician has denied wrongdoing, accusing the EFCC of being on a
witch-hunt to weaken his political stature.
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