By Chris AzebamwanÂ
My attention has been drawn to a recent Press Release by Chris Nehikhare.  As is to be expected, he moaned and wailed about the declining fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  But more particularly, he tried to turn truth on its head when he tried albeit unsuccessfully, to whitewash the source of the N700 million for which five of his corruption-laden party members have been arraigned in court by the EFCC. Nehikhare also tried, again unsuccessfully, to connect our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the predicament faced by his leaders in the PDP.  One would reasonably expect that campaign funds that were raised through donors would be lodged in a bank account and any transfers from there, would be channeled through legitimate financial routes.  It is not normal to hold and convey them in Ghana-must-go bags as was done in this case.  This scandalous N700m would have been a debit to the PDP national headquarters bank account and a corresponding credit to the Edo State PDP bank account.  We challenge the PDP to publish its list of donors at the fund-raising.
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Do we need to remind Nehikhare that a former Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, who is now a registered card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was arraigned alongside the accused persons? One wonders where Nehikhare got his ‘facts’ from. Since he claims that the action by the EFCC is “politically motivatedâ€, he should do well to tell the public the party Mr. Lucky Imasuen now belongs to. Why didn’t the anti-graft agency remove his name from the list of accused persons since he claims that the agency is only fighting opposition and not corruption?  The case of Lucky Imasuen proves that the action of the EFCC was neither lopsided nor discriminatory.  Our declared war on corruption is on course and we will not be distracted.  All those who conspired to loot our joint commonwealth must be held accountable and brought to book.  There will be no sacred cows.
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For the benefit of the reading public, the five accused persons are facing an eight-count charge of conspiracy with themselves to commit money laundering to the tune of N700 million, an offense contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended; which is punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
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The EFCC accused them of taking possession and control of the sum of N700 million without any contract award which they ought to know the money forms part of an unlawful act and from which amount, they made several cash disbursements to named individuals
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These weighty charges against the accused persons are the reasons why they are being arraigned for prosecution and trial.  The APC has nothing to do with the case.  Nehikhare would be best advised to stop running around and tell his leaders Chief Tony Anenih, Chief Dan Orbih and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who have made themselves unavailable (according to reports), to submit themselves to the EFCC.  Their interests and the course of justice would be best served that way. Only the guilty are afraid. They should gladly take their day in court.  It is their right.
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It is the generally held belief that the practice of the PDP is to squander money. For years, public money ended up in their private pockets.  On the contrary, for us in the APC, we believe in the power of the people and the sanctity of votes.  That is why we work for the people because when the people vote you in, you are answerable to them. We put the people’s money to work for the people. Our ideology is epitomized in the “One Man, One Vote” mantra of the immediate past administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the “no cash for votes†maxim of the wake and see Governor Godwin Obaseki. These values are obviously alien to those at the other side of the fence, the PDP.  It is difficult for them to believe that it is no longer business as usual because there is a new sheriff in town.
Azebamwan is the State Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.
