Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus has berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged bias in the execution of its anti-corruption war.
According to Secondus, the recent arrest and harassment of contractors handling projects in only PDP states has clearly exposed the anti-graft agency as doing the bidding of the ruling party ahead of the 2019 elections.
In a statement yesterday by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, the party chairman said the EFCC has deployed its operatives to intimidate and harass contractors handling various projects in some states controlled by PDP.
He described the EFCC’s action as a move to frustrate project goals in the affected states, saying the PDP controlled states have outperformed their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled states.
The party chairman expressed regrets that the commission has remained beclouded in its bias and has refused to heed the advisories from well-meaning Nigerians and foreign partners.
The British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, had a few days ago, urged the EFCC leadership not to take sides with any political party ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Arkwright had urged the EFCC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to preserve the integrity of the political process, including embarking on investigations without prejudice.
The party chairman, however, noted that the leadership of the EFCC, rather than take the envoy’s counsel, has made itself a willing tool to assist the ruling APC manipulate the 2019 general elections.
EFCC to PDP chairman: provide evidence
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday faulted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus for alleging that the anti-graft agency has been intimidating contractors working for some PDP states, especially in Rivers and Taraba.
The commission described Secondus’ allegations as puerile and without substance.
In a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC asked Secondus to provide evidence of any intimidation or harassment.
The statement said: “Allegation by Prince Uche Secondus of harassment and intimidation of contractors working for some PDP states by the EFCC is puerile and lacks substance. Who are the contractors being intimidated? That he failed to mention them is evidence that the so-called contractors do not exist.
“The EFCC is not in the business of harassing people and I don’t know any contractor that is being intimidated merely for doing contract in a PDP state.
“If you have not violated the law, the EFCC has no business with you. Unless they are haunted by their shadows, Secondus and his contractors in Taraba and Rivers states should sleep easy.”
