The Governorship Campaign Organization of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to desist from being used by politicians to harass its leaders and members in Kogi State in the midst of the campaign for the November 16 governorship election in the state.
This warning is coming on the heels of a media report that the EFCC had concluded arrangements to carry out “massive arrests” of former Local Government office holders in Kogi State between 2011 and 2016, following petitions received against them.
In a press statement signed by the Chairman, Public Communications Committee of the Campaign Organization, Chief Shola Adedoyin, PDP said it was aware that the dubious petitions were hatched and raised by agents of the ruling party in the atate, the APC.
The aim of the petitioners, according to PDP, was to use the EFCC to hinder some strategic leaders of the party in the state from participating in the November 16 governorship election.
The party wondered when the EFCC conducted its investigations before deciding on arrests, saying that Nigerians have been condemning frivolous arrests without substantial evidence or investigation by the agency.
The PDP said it has become a common trend for the ruling party to turn anti-graft and law-enforcement agencies in the country into political tools, and described the situation as very unfortunate.
The party recalled the use of the DSS and the Police to seal off the National Assembly in August last year as a typical example of misuse of State agencies, adding that the country has not recovered from the frictions caused by the unwarranted action.
The PDP further said that there are numerous petitions against the present administration in Kogi State on EFCC table, which have not been investigated, neither has any official of the State been arrested.
The party recalled how the present Deputy Governor in the state, Elder Simon Achuba, disclosed that the Governor has been stealing billions of Naira, but that no single official mentioned in the report was investigated or arrested.
“Apart from this, different groups have been making verifiable allegations against the State Government since 2016, but no investigations or arrests have been effected”, the party said.
The PDP wondered why the EFCC narrowed the period of its investigation to exclude the three and a half years of Yahaya Bello administration that is riddled with allegations of corruption.
It said it was sheer wickedness for anyone to use government apparatus to perpetuate in office, the present Governor who has impoverished the people and made many to commit suicide.
The PDP said no amount of intimidation of its members can save the present government in the State from being voted out by the people of the State on November 16.
