By Aboje Anefu, Makurdi
BENUE State governor, Samuel Ortom has criticized the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to interrogate the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on his return from the United States of America, USA, describing it as absurd.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, during a televised media briefing last week vowed that the PDP candidate would be interrogated by the anti graft agency when he returned from the US.
However, Governor Ortom in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Terver Akase and made available to Kaftan Post in Makurdi at the weekend said: “We found the outing as one of the most absurd actions of any government. With this move, the Buhari administration is clearly on a voyage of misplaced priorities while also usurping functions of the country’s institutions which ought to be independent.
“The plan of the Federal Government to take over the job of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to question the PDP flag-bearer has confirmed our earlier conclusion that the anti-graft agency has not only lost its neutrality but has also conceded its constitutional role to the APC administration.
“EFCC is now the witch-hunt tool in the hands of APC selectively unleashed on opponents of the government in power. This is contrary to the EFCC Act of 2004 which emphasizes that the Commission treats all persons and cases it investigates without bias or prejudice.
“We are confident that the current attempt by the Buhari administration to smear the reputation of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will end as another vain chase like the previous ones.
“EFCC owes the people of this country the duty of executing its mandate without influence from the government to harass opponents. Nigeria is no one’s personal estate.”
