APC Senatorial Candidate Asks EFCC to Observe Due Process Over Alleged US$1.3m Fraud
Emameh Gabriel in Abuja
The Kano Central Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Abdulkareem Abdulsalam Zaura, has called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to align itself with the enabling laws and follow due process before embarking on any prosecution or arrest.
This was even as he asked the commission to allow the Supreme Court make a decision on the allegations having been initially cleared and pronounced innocent by the High Court in Kano State.
The call followed the EFCC’s recent declaration to launch a manhunt for the arrest of A.A Zaura, who has been under investigation for an alleged money laundering.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Nigerian Union of Journalists Secretariat, Abuja, the Personal Assistant to AA Zaura and Spokespersons for his Campaign Organisation, Mr. Ibrahim Garba, said that the EFCC should not let its recent threat to effect an arrest on his principal to look cutting corners to obtain Justice, a move he said was against President Muhammadu Buhari’s principle on the rule of law.
Ibrahim, who said the accused person, AA Zaura, had no link with the charges brought forward, also disclosed that Zaura’s legal team had “since filed a similar petition to the Supreme Court for further hearing on the matter.
Consequently, he demanded that “in as much as we appreciate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) role on the matter, we appeal for a fair hearing on the matter so that a proper investigation is done (sic) so as not to ridicule the process because of his hard-earned reputation which was earned through hard work many years now.
“We have seen how great people are made and we also have seen how great institutions collapse for lack of self-evaluation, our only appeal to the EFCC is that they should meet us at the Supreme Court to test the law to avert infractions.
“Our principal is not evading court procedures but we appeal to a section of the media not to be biased on this matter. We urged them to please take a step further in asking the right questions so that facts can be established before rushing to the press.”
He concluded by “advising EFCC to reduce media showcase and focus on its constitutional mandate as Zaura’s appeal was pending before the Supreme Court” while “the arraignment was also adjourned to 30th January 2023.
