By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
As a backdrop to the recent invitation of officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following a petition by a former member of PDP, Kassim Afegbua, governors of the party (PDP-GF) has raised concerns on the seriousness and impartiality of the anti-graft agency.
The governors in a statement on Saturday by its Director General, CID Maduabum said that while PDP as a political party is accountable to its members and the general public for its actions, it is concerned that the old tactics of using the EFCC to silence political opposition is creeping into the polity once again.
“It is a misplaced priority for EFCC to abandon revelations of monumental fraud by various officials and agencies of the Federal Government to pursue the PDP which is the main opposition party doing a yeoman’s job of preventing the descent into chaos and anarchy in Nigeria.
“Perhaps certain interests in government are worried about the increasingly assertive role the PDP is playing in calling out corruption in government and wants to weaken and silence it.
“Even the petition in question did not make a single allegation of misuse of government funds, nor cheating of any individual or public authority by the PDP. It is therefore surprising that EFCC should use its scarce human and other resources to begin an investigation into PDP finances. If EFCC is even – handed and non-partisan, it should also conduct an investigation into other political parties including APC, the ruling party”.
The governors said that PDP is up to date in making financial returns as required by the Constitution to INEC and are not aware that INEC made any complaints to EFCC on PDP’s returns.
They said that despite the existential threats the nation is facing, PDP shouldn’t be distracted from its main role as a political watchdog on behalf of Nigerians.
