National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its unconcealed bias in the execution of the anti-corruption war in the country.
Secondus said that 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 2019.
The PDP leader said in a statement from his media office and signed by his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, that the EFCC has deployed its operatives to intimidate and harass contractors handling various projects in some PDP states with the motive of frustrating their project goals which have visibly placed them far ahead of the colleagues in APC states.
Secondus expressed regrets that the Commission has remained beclouded in their bias and has refused to heed the advisories from well meaning Nigerians and international watchers including the recent one from the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr. Paul Arkwright for them not to take sides with any political party ahead of the 2019 general election.
According to the High Commissioner, “INEC and EFCC should be there to preserve the integrity of the political process, including taking investigations without prejudice on one side or the other”
PDP boss noted that the Commission rather than listen to such counsel, has instead made itself a willing tool to assist the drowning APC ahead of 2019 general elections.
Rather than encourage states who are seriously involved in the delivery of democracy dividend to their people, the envious ruling APC has been conniving with the relevant agencies to be harassing contractors ostensibly to frustrate and slow them down in their development strides.
“Contractors in Taraba and Rivers states as well as other PDP states are being harassed by EFCC operatives and are being arm twisted to implicate PDP leaders”
” Intelligence is available to the party that the ruling party and the federal government have resolved to ensure that PDP states are permanently put on their toes so as not to get their bearing ahead of 2019.
It would be clear to the world and discerning minds that PDP governors are doing fantastic jobs executing projects that touch the lives of their people unlike their APC counterparts
In some states like Taraba where projects have been halted as a result of EFCC meddlesomeness, the unemployment situation has worsened.
Secondus reiterated the position of the PDP that corruption should be confronted frontally in our system but warned that meaningful result would never be achieved in this regard in an atmosphere of bias and double standards from anti corruption agencies.
He regretted that anti-graft agencies, set up by the PDP administration to tackle “corruption vice in our system independent of the ruling government, have made themselves a willing tool in the hands of the APC”
He charged PDP governors to remain undaunted and refuse to be intimidated in the service of their people.
Secondus called on the international communities to note the growing impunity where anti-graft agencies now usurp the oversight functions of Houses of Assembly.
