Jonathan Using EFCC, Others To Hunt Opposition Party Govs, Leaders – APC

The opposition mega party, All Progressives Congress has accused the President Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government of using the nation’s anti-graft agencies especially the EFCC to persecute governors and leaders of the party.

The party’s leadership which held a closed door meeting with some of the newly defected governors from the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja between 8pm local time yesterday and the early hours of today said the use of the EFCC and others to hunt opposition figures will only undermine the integrity of such agencies.

The meeting held at Kano Governors’s Lodge in Asokoro, was attended by several national officers and national leaders of the party, led by its Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande who read the communique of the meeting.

His words: “The abuse of public anti-corruption institutions by the Federal Government and the ruling party in persecuting perceived political enemies undermines the integrity of these institutions and subverts the rule of law. We have watched the trend in which selected governors and other top political figures are being victimized.

“This does not augur well for a civil relationship in our body politic. It emphasizes revenge over fairness and breeds malice, rancour and distrust.” While promising that the APC government at the centre would wage a consistent and persistent war against corruption and plug wastage, Akande however, regretted that the level of corruption under the present leadership of the country was alarming.

“Corruption under the current Federal Government is endemic and Nigeria’s rating has never being this bad”, he added. According to him, “The Presidency and the ruling party have deployed the police against the highest principles of federalism. Examples of Rivers and Abuja governors’ meeting at Kano Governors’s lodge where been subordinate police officers act with impunity has turned Nigeria into a neo fascist state.

“This contradicts the very basis of democracy, violates the fundamental rights of citizens and elected officers who do not belong to the ruling party and perceived as enemies of the Presidency.” He said this action has turned  the police into what he described as “Rottweiler of the Presidency and the ruling party” and called on Nigerians to condemn the action.

Those at the meeting, apart from Aknade include the governors of Ogun State, Sen. Ibikunle Amosu; Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi;  Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko;  Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi and Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwanso. Others were a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd); a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; a former Governor of Borno State, Sen. Alimodu Sheriff; a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timi Sylva and a former Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mallam Aminu Waziri, also attended the meeting briefly.

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