Group Berates FG, EFFC over Alleged Attempt to Clampdown on Mark

By George Okoh in Makurdi

Following the recent interrogation of the former Senate President, Senator David Mark, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of fraud in the purchase of his official residence in Abuja, an advocacy group has chided the federal government over its attempt to clamp down on the opposition.

In a statement signed by Mr. Abba Adaudu on behalf of the Posterity Initiative, it said yesterday that the group has been following keenly recent developments between the  EFCC and the federal government on one hand and the former ‘Senate President David Mark on the other hand over allegations of ‘ “illegal purchase of the official residence of the Senate President sold to Mark in 2011” and as  a group that strongly believes in fairness and justice to all citizens of Nigeria irrespective of political, religious and ethnic affiliations, we advocate that whoever is corrupt in Nigeria deserves to be treated accordingly.

However, it said Nigeria’s greatest undoing will be to force corruption charges on any individual because of his or her political ambition.

Similarly, the group revealed that any nation that fails to recognise the sacrifices of her foundational leaders would never value the potentials of her youth.

It urged all Nigerians to recall that when it mattered most, all well-meaning Nigerians cried out very loudly when for political reasons and desperations, our dear President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire military institutions were subjected to unimaginable embarrassment in the build up to the 2015 general elections. Nigerians will also recall that despite the dirty vibes against one of its foundational leaders, they still opted for him in 2015 presidential election

“As a group, we call for application of caution in this matter that appears to be witch-hunting or vendetta. Caution must therefore be exercised to avoid fatal repetition of the past mistakes.”

According to the group, it said that the clampdown on Mark and other opposition politician was coming after a very successful convention of the PDP.

It warned that the country should not be  thrown into a new era of crises, adding that any nation that fails to learn from history is bound to relive its painful costs.

It said the main opposition political party, prominent opposition figures have been systematically singled out for persecution on flimsy issues that clearly hold no waters.