… Alerts nation of key party leaders’ arraignment in federal court on Thursday
… Says charges are trumped up and politically motivated
By Alltimepost.com
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the ruling All Progressives Congress have been accused of fighting the opposition instead of corruption by instituting politically motivated charges against the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Edo State branch of the PDP, in a strongly worded statement in Benin on Tuesday accused EFCC and APC of orchestrating a plan to break the morale of its teeming supporters and cast a fake and an undeserved corruption toga on “our leaders and party.”
In the statement signed by its spokesman, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, PDP alerted the nation of the arraignment of some of its leaders, including the state party chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, its governorship candidate in the last governorship election and the state coordinator for the presidential elections in 2015, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in a federal court in Benin on Thursday May 24, 2018.
Others to be arraigned, according to the statement, are the Chairman of the Strategy and Planning Committee for the 2015 presidential election, Hon Anthony Aziegbemi as well as Mr. Efe Anthony, member of the finance committee for the 2015 presidential elections and Mr. Lucky Imasuen, former PDP state vice chairman in 2015 who has since joined the APC.
The PDP had the following to say in the statement:
Sometime in 2014, the PDP held a fund raising dinner in preparation for the 2015 presidential elections. Many individuals and corporate bodies donated generously so that PDP and president Goodluck Jonathan could successfully finance his election.
As the election drew nearer, Edo State PDP was sent money to handle logistics and other incidental election expenses. This is the money the enforcement arm of APC, sometimes referred to as EFCC is charging our leaders to court for. They are calling the charge, Money Laundering! It’s preposterous!
We state here without equivocation that our leaders are innocent of all the charges as we are aware that due process was followed in raising the money, transmitting the money to Edo State and disbursement of the money for the purpose for which it was sent.
We are aware that these charges are politically motivated to break the morale of our teeming supporters and cast a fake and an undeserved corruption toga on our leaders and party.
It will interest Nigerians to know that the money in question received by Edo PDP leaders was not traced to any government MDAs, Ministry, Department or Agency. In fact, it was traced to the account opened to receive donations from individuals and corporate bodies.
No one has complained that its money is missing or unaccounted for, but because of the APC policy of fighting opposition instead of corruption, EFCC was instructed to destabilize PDP in Edo State. It’s amazing that a party they claim they have killed and buried still poses so much threat to them that trumped up charges is their new weapon.
We are aware that several NGOs, as well as citizens of Edo State have live petitions against ex-governor Adams Oshiomhole at EFCC where several of his misdemeanor, pilfering and corrupt acts were itemized and revealed.
EFCC knows that the Mobutu Sese Seko Ranch in Iyamho and the Mansion in Okoro Otun, GRA in Benin City to mention a few, are proceeds of crime, as it is common knowledge that Adams Oshiomhole was a tenant off Gapiona Avenue GRA Benin City when he was gifted the governorship position.
Instead of EFCC and APC to fight corruption, they are fighting the Opposition.
With their lame attempt to demarket PDP and its leaders, one would think APC used cowries to run their elections. Or is EFCC feigning ignorance of the billions used to bribe delegates in the last congress to elect President Buhari as candidate?
At this point, we wish to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the unfair deployment of the agencies of state, particularly the EFCC and police in the harassment, molestation, intimidation, brutalization, humiliation, arrest and persecution of leaders and members of the PDP in Edo state.
We see this disingenuous tactics of arrest, humiliation, intimidation and persecution on our leaders and members as a calculated attempt to throw the PDP into disarray and to manipulate the minds of our teeming supporters who are in the majority among the Edo electorate.
To APC state, federal and their Agents, we will not be cowed!
