PDP charges FG to ensure Magu answers all allegations

Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has challenged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to ensure that the former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, answers all allegations of corruption levelled against him.

The PDP said the allegations to which Magu should answer also include reported violation of rules, victimization of Nigerians and stealing of recovered funds for which he has been suspended.

A statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described Magu as not only being unfit to lead an agency like the EFCC but had also reduced the anti-corruption agency to a house of corruption.

“What Nigerians expect at this time is for the Federal Government to ensure Magu’s prosecution in court as well as take necessary and decisive steps to restore the integrity of the EFCC by ensuring that Magu’s replacement as EFCC Chairman is thoroughly screened to avoid the ills and violations experienced under the suspended acting Chairman,” PDP stated.

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PDP further said Magu also turned the Antigraft headquarters and by extension war against corruption into a partisan witch-hunt organisation that thrives in violation of rules, abuse of investigation processes, manipulation of court procedures as well as a vehicle to harass and extort money from innocent Nigerians.

The PDP insisted that Magu should be made to provide answer to allegations in the public space that he was more interested in securing politically induced convictions rather than justice.

The opposition party said, while breaching the rules of engagement, Magu allegedly turned the EFCC into a terror house where innocent Nigerians are harassed with trumped-up charges and convicted on media trial even before being allowed to defend themselves in court.

The statement reads in part: “There are also allegations of violation of rights, including allegedly making his victims to make statements in custody without the services of their lawyers.

“This is in addition to insinuations in the public that the indicted EFCC boss was also harassing certain judges to get conviction on cases.

“Similarly, there are several cases of officers and ranks of the commission whose employment in the service were unjustly suspended or terminated.

“The PDP lamented that Magu has destroyed the integrity of the anti-corruption agency with his manifest selective fight against corruption, in which no member of the current administration, including those who have been openly indicted for corruption, has been prosecuted by the EFCC.

“Nigerians can recall that under Magu, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole was bold to state that once a corrupt person joins the APC, all his sins are forgiven.

“Moreover, the memo by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, detailing charges of diversion of recovered funds, secret sale of seized property and insubordination among others now validates the position of most Nigerians that Ibrahim Magu lacks the required discipline, exposure and experience to head an agency like the EFCC.

“Furthermore, the PDP also urges an investigation into the alleged connection between the indicted EFCC boss and certain judges handling EFCC cases, while calling on the judiciary to sanitise the courts in this direction.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE