Tambuwal: EFCC under fire for targeting opposition politicians

.It marks continuation of Tinubu’s agenda to harass, intimidate opposition ahead of 2027 -Atiku

.Arrest contradicts Nigeria’s fight against graft, says Obi

.We run a non-partisan mandate —EFCC boss

A onetime chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo has posited that former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to weaken the grip and chances of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the coalition group in the North West.

Dr. Ojo, however, stated that the APC administration made a wrong calculation because unlike what was intended, Aminu Tambuwal’s arrest would boost his popularity and the acceptance of the ADC at the grassroots population in the zone.

Sen. Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is one of the major arrowheads of the coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC) was arrested and detained last week by the EFCC.

In an interview with newsmen in Abuja, Dr. Jackson Ojo cautioned that if the arrest of Tambuwal was intended to diminish his political stature, the strategy would backfire because the anger of the people against the present administration would turn him into a hero.

While arguing that Tambuwal’s arrest was politically motivated and is believed to be part of the plot to weaken the rising popularity of the ADC among Nigerians, Dr. Ojo said,  “I know that when Tambuwal was Governor of Sokoto State, the people wanted him to probe Wamakko, but he refused to probe Wamakko. That same man now must have instigated them to write to the EFCC because no other person could have written to the EFCC apart from those in government.

“I think they want to reduce the popularity and political influence of Tambuwal in Sokoto State and some parts of the North West in order to weaken the structure of the ADC. That was the untold reason why he was arrested.

On EFCC claims that Tambuwal’s arrest was due to financial allegations against him, Dr. Ojo queried the timing and reminded Nigerians that the EFCC is not doing anything about dozens of petitions against members of APC, who were previously being investigated before they defected to the ruling party.

“Does it mean that there is nobody today in APC, including former governors, no former Ministers, no former senator or Lawmakers who are culpable. Why? This is a political vendetta; this is a political attack to further weaken the opposition, particularly the ADC.

“If care is not taken that is the strategy to weaken the opposition and weakening the opposition means we are tilting towards a One-party State and One-party State is an autocratic state. Tambuwal left office since 2023, why now. It is just because of his political profile that is rising and because of his role in ADC.

“Former Governor Okowa was invited by EFCC over allegation of over N1.3 trillion graft allegations, immediately Okowa was released what happened?

I think the negotiation was that he has to decamp.

“Immediately, Okowa decamped to the APC with PDP structure in Delta state nobody is hearing anything about his case with the EFCC or the reason he was investigated. Has he returned the money?

“Are still working on what the former APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole said that immediately you crossed to the APC your sins will be forgiven? The sins you committed against Nigerians will be forgiven by a political party.

“What is happening now is old fashion. Nigerians have already made up their minds and they know what is happening now is vendetta. If Tambuwal is still a member of the APC today would he be investigated or invited or arrested?

“Unknown to them people have already made up their minds already. There is nothing anybody can do now to depopularise Tambuwal in Sokoto State or in the North West. People already know that this is political vendetta. What they are trying to do now is to intimidate Tambuwal to come to them, but this is old old-fashioned strategy. They should allow Tambuwal to go.”

Dr Ojo encouraged opposition political parties to form stronger and more formidable platforms to confront the APC in 2027 like what happened in 2015 when PDP was upstaged by the coalition of opposition parties.

“Opposition parties should come out as a united political force. When they were forming the APC you see a lot of protests with people like Buhari, Tinubu, Pastor Tunde Bakare and others. You saw a lot of protests against the government of Goodluck Jonathan and PDP.  If the APC did it at their formative stage and nothing happened to them, the present opposition parties can also do it peacefully.

“The opposition are keeping too my much quiet. It is like they have accepted to be oppressed. This is an oppressive government and the oppressive government is turning this country to a one-party State.

“The opposition should come together as a united political force in order to rescue Nigerians from present difficulties. People are facing hardship, there is no security, no education, no health, nothing. The people that Nigerians believe can rescue the country in 2027 they are trying to hang one or two things on their neck to silence them.”

Meanwhile, Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has declared that the opposition coalition will never succumb to anti-democratic actions and machinations of railroading Nigeria into a one-party dictatorship as expected by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

While condemning the detention of former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Atiku alleged in a statement he personally issued to newsmen on Tuesday that Tambuwal, was arrested and detained because he is a member of the opposition coalition.

“It is a continuation of the Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to harass, intimidate and decimate the opposition,” Atiku said, adding that the reality unfolding before us today is that the administration, as with other aspects, has “objectified the fight against corruption as a political tool to coerce opposition leaders into the ruling party.”

Continuing. Atiku, a leader in the ADC anchored opposition said, “We are living witnesses to a growing trend where the state and its operators have assumed the roles of a bully by making corruption and the fight against it a political agenda.

“Certainly, that is not the objective for which I worked hard during our administration to create the EFCC. It is as though today, anyone who associates with the opposition is a target for phantom corruption allegations and, it is as though, as soon as they are coerced into the political agenda of President @officialABAT, their ‘sins’ are forgiven.

“This definitely, is not how to build institutions. That, certainly, is not how to fight the monster of corruption. Indeed, such tendencies provide the stimulant for corruption to thrive.

We have seen how the EFCC has been used to empty opposition state governors into the ruling party, and the tea party is not about to end anytime soon.

“While the genuine fight against corruption is a matter that requires the total support of all Nigerians, the objectification of it as a political agenda should be roundly condemned by all in civil society spaces and friends of Nigeria in the international community.

“We have in recent times witnessed the use of anti-corruption agencies in coercing political leaders into the ruling party. Our assurance to Nigerians is that we would never succumb to this anti-democratic machinations of railroading our people into a one-party dictatorship, the statement concluded.

However, The African Democratic Congress, ADC’s unprovoked attack on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,   EFCC, concerning its handling of cases involving politically exposed persons from every divide, came as a rude shock and unwarranted blame game.

 Every objective and discerning watcher of events in the national political scene, would admit that the Commission has been circumspect and dispassionate in the exercise of its mandate.

 The ADC’s claims that “Opposition Coalition have received EFCC summons that are clearly politically motivated. These are not fresh cases arising from new evidence but new files opened in reaction to emergent political affiliations to intimidate key opposition figures”,  are clearly self-serving,  diversionary, narrow  and  idle.  The question is, what determines “fresh cases” and old cases? Every corruption allegation deserves to be investigated and there is no constraint of time and season in criminal investigations.

  Available records in our courts showed that several political figures of all divide are answering charges of alleged economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.  It is also public knowledge that the EFCC is busy investigating some key figures of the ruling party  owing to allegations of corrupt practices.   Besides,  many serving state governors of various political colouration are on the investigative  radar of the Commission. The Commission will not be blackmailed into making full disclosures of its discreet investigations of any state or non-state actor,  no matter the provocation.

 The ADC was right to have admitted that “The EFCC does not belong to the APC.  It belongs to the Nigerian people. It is funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.”  Nothing can be farther from this truth.

  The ADC and other political groups should focus on their partisan activities and allow the Commission to carry out her mandate.  Nothing will make an innocent person answer any charge from the EFCC.   The “opposition figures” the ADC is trying unsuccessfully to white-wash know in their hearts that they have issues that necessitated their invitations by the Commission.   The immunity against any investigation by the EFCC is accountability and probity.   Fraud is fraud. Corruption is corruption. There is no sacred cow, protected interest or partisan consideration in the investigation and prosecution of corruption.

The EFCC will continue to do its job and all well-meaning Nigerians are enjoined to ignore political statements meant to heat up the polity and divert attention from the pillage of the national treasury.