Ekweremadu: APC Tele-guiding EFCC, ICPC Against Opposition

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the open directive by the All 
Progressives Congress (APC) to the Economic and Financial Crimes 
Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other 
Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to quickly conclude the investigation 
and prosecution of key opposition leaders before the 2019 elections, has 
further confirmed that the agencies have been compromised and are being 
tele-guided by the ruling party against the opposition.

The PDP particularly draws the attention of Nigerians and the 
international community to APC’s direct directive to the EFCC to drag in 
Deputy Senate Ike Ekweremadu on trumped-up charges, stampede his 
prosecution and put him out of circulation before the 2019 elections.

The PDP notes that it was not a mere coincidence that EFCC’s invitation 
to Ekweremadu was dated July 24, 2018, the same morning his residence 
and that of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, were simultaneously 
besieged by EFCC operatives and hundreds of policemen, in a failed 
attempt to illegally impeach them.

The series of interference by the APC in the work of the anti-graft 
agencies, coupled with the August 7, 2018 siege to the National Assembly 
by the Department of State Security, confirms a sinister plot by the 
APC-led administration not only to arrest and detain Saraki and 
Ekweremadu to illegally remove them, but also to besmear and destroy the 
opposition ahead of 2019 general elections.

Being unable to find Ekweremadu wanting in its many probes, the APC now 
relies on procured cooked-up allegations in a bid to get at him at all 
cost.

Is it not ironical that the same government, that was quick to explain 
that a serving military officer bought his Dubai property from his 
savings, does not think that a former Local Government Chairman, former 
Chief of Staff to Governor, former Secretary to Enugu State Government, 
Senator since 2003, Deputy Senate President since 2007, former Speaker 
of ECOWAS Parliament, and owner of a thriving law firm has earned enough 
legitimate incomes to invest in real estate.

While the PDP is not in any way against the war against corruption in 
our country, we reject the illegal use of the EFCC and ICPC as political 
tools by the APC to harass, intimidate and drag down opposition members, 
in their failed bid to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2019 general 
elections.

Finally, we urge Nigerians to hold the APC and Buhari Presidency 
responsible, should any harm befall any PDP leader as we approach the 
2019 elections.