The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday expressed concern over the claim by the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, that he would be reinstated back to the position.
Magu, who was arrested on July 6 and the presidential panel over alleged financial malfeasance, was released on Wednesday.
He had since dismissed all the allegations as trumped-up charges put together by “opponents” of the anti-graft crusade to crucify him.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party described Magu’s boast that he would be cleared and reinstated despite the allegations against him as a huge affront on the integrity of the ongoing inquest by the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential investigative panel on the activities of the EFCC.
The PDP said Nigerians were shocked when counsel to the suspended EFCC acting chairman, Wahab Shittu, boastfully declared that he has Magu’s instruction to inform the public that “he would be reinstated back to the office.”
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The party said: “Nigerians are unease that such assertive statement by Magu’s lawyer holds more than meets the eyes and portrays the presidential panel as well as the Buhari presidency as having compromised the probe.
“Our party hopes that this is not a case of corruption fighting back in a frantic effort to shield accused persons from prosecution.
“Already, the statement by Magu’s counsel has heightened public concerns that the probe have become a sham and that the allegations against Magu will eventually be swept under the carpet despite demands by Nigerians to prosecute the suspended EFCC boss in a court of competent jurisdiction.”
The party wondered if Magu’s counsel was informing Nigerians that the activities of the presidential panel, as well as the indicting memo by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, were all drama to facilitate Magu’s clearance at the Senate.
The party noted that the details of the allegations by the AGF against Magu were in the public domain, including the alleged discrepancy in the financial records of the EFCC funds, alleged stealing of funds recovered by the commission, alleged sale of property recovered by the EFCC and details of alleged acts of insubordination, among others.
“This is in addition to issues of alleged violation of rules, abuse of investigation processes, manipulation of court procedures by the EFCC under Magu, which has allegedly become a partisan vehicle for persecution, harassment, and extortion against innocent Nigerians.
“The statement by Magu, through his counsel, is therefore a direct slap on the integrity of our justice system and the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
“What Nigerians and indeed the global community expect is for the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, the African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion, to take immediate steps to arraign the suspended EFCC Chairman before a court of competent jurisdiction to defend and clear his name over the very weighty allegations that have been brought against him.”
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