PDP Chieftain Raises the Alarm over EFCC’s Intimidation

Prominent chieftains of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Christopher Kolade has cried out over undue pressure being mounted on the management of Economic, Financial and other Crimes Commission (EFCC) to nail some leaders of the party especially from the north since some leaders declared that the party would zone the presidency to that the part of the country.

The chieftain, who spoke in Lagos, carpeted chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of working clandestinely to cripple the PDP ahead of the forthcoming 2023 presidential poll.

“In recent time, several of our leaders have been hounded by EFCC including former President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, the embattled national chairman of the party, Mr. Uche Secodus, former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Abia Governor Sen. Theodore Orji, late Sen Nasiru Mantu, who unfortunately died, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and others. “We are very much aware of the plans and schemes of leaders of the APC to decimate our ranks. This is one of it,” a PDP chieftain said.

According to the Kolade , the APC has been very jittery with the decision of the PDP to zone the ticket of the party to the North.

He said those next in line to be arrested are Sule Lamido, Muazu Aliyu and former Kano State Governor. Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and several others have been penciled down, especially in the Northern parts of the country.

“This is the major reasons they have been hounding our leading lights in the North,” he said.

He maintained that the EFCC who has been rebutting the pressures from some elements in ruling party might cave in very soon.

“We have it on good authority that the EFCC will cave in any time soon and we are alerting the country to these devious schemes of the ruling party,” another top source, who is a member of the National Executive Committee, said.

While describing the move as being done in bad faith, the PDP’s national exco member said Saraki, Kwankwaso and many were initially cleared by the EFCC for the same petitions that they are digging up now.

“We are aware that some frivolous petitions were written against some of them including without evidence. We are also aware that some of this former governors made themselves available to the commission whenever they were called upon. They stated their cases, the commission investigated and found them not guilty,” he said.

He thereafter, called on the EFCC not to allow itself to be used as a tool for political vendetta, adding that “the issues at hand are political.

“ And EFCC is not a political party and should not dabble into politics.”