The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the delay by the Federal
Government to arraign the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over allegations of
fraud is raising public apprehensions over the integrity of the fight
against corruption in Nigeria.
The party said the delay is heightening suspicion in the public space
over alleged attempt to give Magu a soft landing in order to cover up
for certain top officials of the Buhari administration as well as some
leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged to have been
indicted by the suspended EFCC chairman, in the course of his
investigation by the Presidential Panel.
The PDP’s position is predicated on conflicting reports on the status of
the processes related to Magu’s on-going investigations and the
direction of the Federal Government on the matter.
Our party holds that where there are no undesirable underhand dealings,
any government that is committed to the fight against corruption, in
such a manner that the Buhari Presidency wants the world to believe it
does, should have since perfected its processes and arraign the
suspended EFCC acting Chairman in court, particularly with the weight of
allegations and revelations unearthed at the Presidential panel.
The fact is that the allegations of fraud including alleged stealing of
billions of naira recovered by the EFCC among other accusations, which
also include alleged transfer of stolen money to certain government
officials, are already in the public domain.
The expectation of Nigerians therefore is for the Federal Government to
immediately arraign Magu before a court of competent jurisdiction and
prosecute him in line with the dictates of our laws.
Nigerians are apprehensive that the EFCC investigation might go the way
of the huge cover up in the handling of cases of unbridled treasury
looting in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal
Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), the National Health Insurance Scheme
(NHIS) among others where indicted officials were given a pat on the
wrist without prosecution.
Our party charges the Buhari Presidency to note that the world is
watching the handling of the EFCC fraud case with keen interest. The
Federal Government should therefore take immediate steps to arraign Magu
and all those indicted in the matter before a court of competent
jurisdiction without any further delay.
