PAN-YORUBA socio-political group, Afenifere, on Tuesday in Lagos expressed surprise that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not invited sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SG), Alhaji Babachir Lawal for corruption investigation, but has done for former Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayodele Oke and his wife, Folashade.
Both Lawal and Oke were sacked based on the report of the panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on account that the duo had compromised their respective offices.
Afenifere expressed the feeling in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin.
“We are however surprised that the EFCC has not extended similar invitation to Mr Babachir Lawal, the former SGF sacked alongside Oke,” Afenifere said, contending that inviting one and leaving the other had brought to the fore again the charge of selectivity in anti-graft war being pursued by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
The group, while saying that its attention had been drawn to the invitation extended by the EFCC to Oke and his wife over the cash found in Ikoyi area of Lagos, however, contended that it was of the belief that the former DG of NIA should be investigated if he had been indicted by the Osinbajo panel of wrong-doing.
According to Afenifere, this is consistent with its avowed commitment to accountability which informed its position at its monthly meeting a few day ago in Akure, the Ondo State capital that the pension scam fugitive, Mr Abdurasheed Maina, who was surreptitiously reinstated by topmost officials of the Muhammadu Buhari administration be arrested and prosecuted, including all those who facilitated his reinstatement.
The pan-Yoruba group, while recalling that spokesmen of Buhari’s administration had been “speaking in forked tongues” about Presidency not tele guiding the anti-graft war and that the EFCC would exercise its discretion, following public outcry that the Presidency should hand both Lawal and Oke to the anti- graft Agency for prosecution after their sack, noted that the EFCC had now exercised that discretion to invite Oke sparing Lawal.
It further noted that it was the same Lawal that was initially protected by the Presidency and defended after he was indicted by the Senate for alleged fraud.
“Inviting one and leaving the other has brought to the fore again the charge of selectivity with picking and choosing those to prosecute over corruption in the land which led a serving Senator to observe that insecticide comes handy when allegations of corruption are raised against some people and deodorant deployed when it is the turn of others.
“We insist that for the perception not to become stronger than the anti-graft war develops strong teeth against the vulnerable and toothless against the sacred cows, the EFCC must invite Lawal as it goes after Oke,” Afenifere demanded.
“We restate our declaration in Akure that all those who offend the laws must be treated equally before the law no matter their status or origin,” the group charged.