EFCC Quizzes Ekweremadu

PDP flays harassment of deputy Senate president

Deji Elumoye, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, was yesterday arrested when he honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and interrogated by the operatives of the anti-graft commission in Abuja, over allegation of fraud and money laundry.

This is coming as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deplored what it described as the harassment of the deputy Senate president, opposition leaders, and voices of dissent, by the federal government.

A reliable source from the commission confirmed Ekweremadu’s arrest in the early hours of yesterday, saying “he was invited for questioning.”

The deputy Senate president was in the EFCC custody for several hours.

Ekweremadu honoured the iniviation of the anti-graft agency at the commission’s headquarters and was released on administrative bail yesterday evening after being grilled by the operatives.

The commission had last Tuesday invited the Senator to its office in Abuja to respond to allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering, which he failed to honour.

The EFCC’s invitation coincided with the invasion of the Apo residence of the Senator by both the police and the commission’s operatives who did not allow him to leave his residence in the early hours of the day.

The purpose of the invasion, it was learnt, was to prevent him from attending the Senate plenary that saw about 14 Senators defecting from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On that fateful day, the EFCC issued a letter dated July 24, the same day he was being asked to report to the anti-corruption agency office in Wuse II by 10a.m.

The EFFC letter dated July 24, 2018, with reference CR:3000/EFCC/DOPS/VOL 49/40 and signed by the Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar Abba, was titled: “Investigation Activities: Case of Conspiracy, Abuse of Office and Money Laundering”.

“This Commission is investigating the above mentioned case in which your name features prominently and the need to obtain certain clarification from you became imperative. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to report and interview (sic) the undersigned at 5 Famola Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja on July 24, 2018 at 10a.m prompt. This request is made pursuant to section 38 (I) of the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act 2004. Your cooperation in this regard is highly solicited, please,” the letter reads.

Meanwhile, has deplored what it described as the harassment of Ekweremadu, opposition leaders, and voices of dissent, by the federal government.

The party accused the government of misusing the anti-graft and security agencies close to the 2019 general elections, stressing that such posed a grave threat to the country’s democracy.

Reacting to what it described as Ekweremadu’s wish-hunt by the EFCC, the party called on the international community to reign in the President Muhammadu Buhari- led administration before it becomes too late.

The main opposition party cautioned the Buhari-led administration to desist from this act of highhandedness and witch-hunt of the opposition so as not to torpedo the country’s democracy.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, the party said: “Just a few days after the EFCC and over 200 policemen practically held Senator Ekweremadu hostage to prevent the defection of APC Senators to the PDP, the EFCC has continued to harass Ekweremadu to cover its shame.”

“We wish to remind Nigerians and the international community that this is only the newest in the series of attempts to destroy the Senator politically in the run up to the 2019 general elections.

“It is of grave concern to us that while corruption and corrupt persons abound in the APC, the EFCC prefers to chase after innocent members of the opposition.

“While the likes of Babachir Lawal, Abba Kyari, Ayo Oke, Kemi Adeosun, Abdulrasheed Maina and his accomplices, Okoi Obono-Obla, and scores of others in the ruling APC, with corruption and fraud related charges, walk free, the anti-graft agencies have continued in its reckless desperation to harass and dent leaders of the opposition in the name of an anti-corruption war that Nigerians and the world have to see what it is – persecution of the opposition,” the party explained.