FG clamps down on opposition, as EFCC freezes Obi’s accounts

A perceived clampdown on opposition figures appeared to have following the blockade of accounts of the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Mr Peter Obi and  a former presidential spokesman, Dr Doyin Okupe.

Officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC)  on Saturday stormed the Lagos  residence of Okupe.

The chieftain of the PDP,  who incidentally is a member of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign team, confirmed the development to Sunday Tribune in a telephone interview.

He said the officers who claimed they were acting   on instruction to effect his arrest  could not produce a letter from the anti-corruption agency and had no warrant of arrest.

He said: “They said they were acting on directive from Abuja. I asked for the letter from the EFCC and the warrant of arrest and they couldn’t produce any. I said I wasn’t going to follow them.

“They made a few calls to their bosses and they left. I have told them that I would make myself available on Monday.”

Asked if they offered any inkling of his offence, Okupe said, “ one of them said it has to do with cyber crime. They said they were inviting me for cyber crime.”

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The PDP had on Saturday raised the alarm that its  accounts had been frozen allegedly in respect of an investigation of the former Anambra State governor who left office five years ago.

The party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO), in a statement by its Director, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, decried the stoppage of transactions on all accounts belonging to Obi, his wife, his family members and their businesses by agencies of the  Buhari administration.

The statement read: “ Since his nomination, Peter Obi, apart from facing series of failed attempts by the APC to destroy his reputation, has also continued to receive all manner of threats and blackmail, including threats to his life and those of his wife and children.

“Having realised that the majority of Nigerians are rallying behind the duo of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as the our Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates respectively, the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have resorted to all manner of machinations, including smear campaigns and direct attacks on their persons and business concerns, in a bid to run them down.

“The Buhari Presidency is intimidated by Peter Obi’s resume, particularly, his general acceptance as epitome of fiscal responsibility, frugality and transparency in governance.

“Otherwise, why is the Presidency on a wild goose chase in investigating Peter Obi, who left office as Governor of Anambra State five years ago with a nationally acclaimed clean record, intact reputation for frugality, transparency, zero tolerance for corruption and leaving behind a huge saving of N75 billion naira in cash and investments; without owing any salaries, pensions, gratuities or even contractors for contracts executed?”

“The fact remains that the Buhari Presidency and the APC are merely shadow boxing in their attacks on Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, as their records before Nigerians speak for them.

“All discerning Nigerians know that the reasons for an investigation on a man like Peter Obi, is a journey to no where aimed to stifle him of funds as well as attempt to distract our campaign and divert attention from the failures of the Buhari administration.”

“It is ludicrous that President Buhari would continue to condone the looting of our treasuries by his party leaders and the cabal in his Presidency, which even, the First Lady had even alluded to, only to be using government agencies to attempt to blackmail our Presidential and vice Presidential candidates whose reputations stand clear before all Nigerians.

“The PPCO reminds President Buhari that neither he nor Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in 2015, as candidates, harassed, attacked at the airport or subjected to blackmails, and wonder why they are now employing such tactics just because Nigerians have resolved to do away with them, come 2019.”