…PDP accuses FG of witch-hunt
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop wasting its time and resources in its bid to nail him at all cost because it would fail.
Saraki said the current moves by the anti-graft agency would only end in futility. He noted that he had been investigated as Kwara State governor without blemish.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to theSenate President, Yusuph Olaniyonu.
In the statement, which was in reaction to a statement credited to the EFCC regarding Saraki’s tenure as governor of Kwara State, the Senate President said he was not bordered by all the moves of the EFCC, but urged the commission to be more professional and transparent in its conduct.
The statement read in part: “We have noted a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in reaction to a news story published by a national newspaper, based on the letter written by the commission to the Kwara State Government in which it demanded for all details of salaries, allowances, estacode or any other entitlement enjoyed by Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the President of the Senate, during his tenure as governor of Kwara State, between 2003 and 2011.
“While we have kept quiet over the series of letters sent to various institutions where Dr Saraki had served or is serving in which the commission stated that it is conducting various investigations, we are compelled to make our positions known on the less-than-noble and patriotic objectives behind these investigations because we believe it is a mere witch-hunt exercise aimed at settling scores, laced with malicious and partisan motives.
“While we do not wish to obstruct the EFCC in the performance of its tasks, we reiterate our position that the commission should be professional, ethical, transparent and consistent. It cannot be deemed professional when the agency is not consistent in the application of its rules and the laws to all cases and individuals. The recent onslaught against the Senate President by the anti-graft agency is definitely a case of different laws for different folks.”
In the same vein, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the Federal Government of using EFCC to witch-hunt Saraki. The PDP, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, said the “fresh siege” against Saraki was part of an alleged clampdown on opposition figures.
The party noted that it was obvious that the All Progressives Congress (APC) federal government was panicky over the evidence it intends to present against the ruling party and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The statement read in part: “The PDP alerts that the fresh siege against Senator Saraki is part of the larger plot for a renewed clampdown on key opposition figures and perceived political opponents of the APC administration, particularly to frustrate the determination to retrieve our stolen presidential mandate at the tribunal.
“The party says nothing else can explain the Federal Government’s obnoxious and distasteful resort to intimidation and evidence-fishing, just to nail Senator Saraki at all costs, even when nothing incriminating has been found in his stewardship as Governor of Kwara state, after several investigations.”
However, the EFCC, in a statement by its acting spokesman, Tony Orilade, said it was investigating Saraki’s earnings as Kwara State governor as well as his financial stewardship in the Senate.
Faulting the claim of the Senate President that it was after him for ulterior reasons and that he is a victim of persecution, the anti-graft body said it took exception to comments that cast a slur on its legitimate assignment.
