- * Accuses The Opposition Party Of Being Corrupt
- Says PDP Is Blackmailing EFCC, FG
By Chinwendu Agoha (Governance Reporter)
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), on Tuesday, lambasted the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for criticizing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its recent interrogation of the former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, for alleged acts of corruption.
The BMO in its reaction described the PDP as a political organization noted for enabling corruption in the country and "which believes that corrupt elements should not be touched or investigated".
In a statement by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, BMO said that the reaction of the former ruling party showed that it is "fanatically corrupt" and is scared of its shadow, and only interested in playing partisan politics with serious national issues.
"The national leadership of the opposition party must have thought that Nigerians can be easily taken for a ride with their claim that the recent interrogation of the former Governor and his son, as well as a handful of senior PDP members, amounted to harassment of 'dissenting voices' and opposition figures.
"The media is replete with details of the petition filed by some Abia indigenes on how the then governor allegedly embezzled N551bn, so we are constrained to ask if the party was scared of its shadow of corruption in a state that was practically run down in the last 20 years.
"We know that PDP and its allies have for years been pushing unproven allegations of selective anti-graft war, but we wonder where they were when the EFCC invited two sitting Senators elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), former Governors Tanko Al-Makura and Rochas Okorocha, a few weeks ago for interrogation.
"We invite Nigerians to note that another former Abia State Governor and senior APC member, Orji Uzor Kalu is still on trial for allegedly embezzling public funds even after a court had earlier ordered his release from prison, yet the opposition party is out to blackmail EFCC and the federal government over an invitation extended to some of its members.
"What is even more amusing is that one of the top PDP members invited for questioning recently, former Bayelsa Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson said there was nothing wrong with the EFCC grilling him based on a petition from a group of indigenes of the State.
"So why should the PDP be crying more than the bereaved? Is the party suggesting that the anti-graft agency should only respond to petitions filed against members of the ruling party, and ignore those involving opposition members?"
The group added that the convictions secured by the EFCC on President Buhari's watch are clear indicators that the anti-graft war is not selective.
"We know the party has a penchant for making wild claims of non-interest by the EFCC in putting APC members with corruption cases on their necks in the dock.
"But the reality on the ground tells a different story. All the former Governors who have so far been convicted and are serving prison terms, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, defected to the ruling party in the middle of their trials, but that didn't stop their cases. It is on record that Orji Kalu, who happened to be the Senate Majority Whip was also convicted even though he got a temporary reprieve which the EFCC is still challenging in court.
"In fact, we make bold to say that President Buhari has never and will never interfere in anti-corruption cases which is why he ignored all entreaties to intervene in the case of the then-Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
"We also recall how a former JAMB Registrar Professor Dibu Ojerinde joined the ruling APC a few years ago, yet he still has to forfeit houses, filling stations in Nigeria and Ghana in the course of his ongoing trial.
"There are also several cases pending in court involving many former PDP chieftains including some former governors who benefitted from the $115m slush fund shared by former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke just before the 2015 election, but who has since defected to the ruling party.
"Let us also not forget that President Buhari sacked a former Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal and ensured that he was put on trial over the celebrated grass cutting scandal; so it is safe to say that there are no sacred cows".
BMO insisted that contrary to PDP's misleading position, President Buhari's anti-corruption war is all-encompassing and not restricted to opposition elements alone. NNL.
