Saraki's wife invitation: North Central APC Cautions EFCC
- nationalpilot
- Jul 27, 2015
- 4 min read
The chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-Central states have cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to guide its operations against manipulation by desperate politicians who might want to use it to settle political scores.
The party chairmen, who expressed their commitment ?to anti-corruption war, however said the EFCC should guide against being used by politicians with inordinate ambition.
This warning was contain in a statement signed by Mr Haddi Ameto (Kogi), Alhaji Mohammed Jibril Adamu (Niger), Alhaji Usman Abdukmalik (FCT), Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani (Kwara) and Mr Letep Dabang? (Plateau). The APC chairmen said the warning became imperative because of the invitation of the wife of Senate President, Barrister Toyin Saraki by the EFCC and surrounding political issues.
They added: "To say the least, this invitation is curious, the timing is suspicious and it raises more questions than answers.
"We are worried that an APC Chieftain, Senator Joseph Waku has alleged that a chieftain of our party in the South West was the mastermind of a baseless petition over which Mrs Saraki has been invited by the EFCC.
"We are also disturbed by the allegation that the same APC chieftain has promised to help secure a second term for the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde if Mrs Saraki is satisfactorily persecuted.
"This is unacceptable and these allegations suggest that some APC chieftains have cut deals with the EFCC to punish perceived political adversaries.
"Mrs Saraki has left Kwara State Government House with her husband since 2011, why did the EFCC choose to invite her for questioning on the 28th of July, 2015? The same day the National Assembly is scheduled to reconvene from recess. It is difficult to believe that this is a mere coincidence because some senators have vowed to bring the Senate President down by all means.
"We are particularly concerned about this political persecution because Mrs Toyin Saraki has never been actively involved in politics. Not even when her husband, Senate President Bukola Saraki, was Governor of Kwara State between 2003 to 20011.
"But in the 2015 general election, she left the comfort of her private home to tirelessly mobilise women in the North Central region to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in her capacity as the team leader of North Central in the Women Presidential Campaign Council.
“We reiterate the commitment of our party, the APC, for zero tolerance to corruption and wholeheartedly support the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to curb and kill corruption in Nigeria. We also urge the EFCC to perform its duties lawfully and professionally.
"However, the EFCC must be warned about the dire consequences of allowing desperate politicians to manipulate its operations to bring down perceived enemies".
... it’s an opportunity to set record straight – House Leader
The recent invitation of Mrs Oluwatoyin Saraki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been described as an opportunity for the Senate President and his wife to correct any misgivings that could be have been harboured about the family.
Toyin Saraki's invitation by the anti-graft body has sparked off condemnation within and across the state with many fingering the Ibrahim Lamorde-led body of using the commission to witch-hunt the Senate President over the National Assembly crisis.
According to the lawmaker representing Esha/Shawo/Igboidun constituency, who doubles as the Majority Leader of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Hassan Oyeleke, the EFCC should not allow itself to be seen as being vindictive and on a vengeance mission.
He said while they are not saying the EFCC should not carry out its statutory responsibilities, they are however very confident the APC leader in the state and Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and his wife don't have any skeleton to hide.
"This could be a way of correcting any misgivings that anybody or persons could have about our leader and his family at the end of the day.
"We are very confident that our leader and his family don't have any skeleton in their cupboard.
"While we recognise the right of the EFCC to perform their statutory duty by extending invitations to persons, the timing of this invitation of wife of the Senate President, Mrs Oluwatoyin Saraki however raised some dusts, concerns and is suspicious.
"Generally for the EFCC to have high level of sensitivity, the standard must be objective and be at par with what is obtained all over the world. It must not be seen to be on a vindictive and a vengeance mission", Oyeleke added.
...Kwara Women would’ve taken to streets – APC Women leader
The Women Leader of the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hajia Sarat Adabayo has said that but for the efforts of her office, Kwara Women would have engaged in a wild protest over the "suspicious" invitation of the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement she signed on Sunday, a copy of which was made available to National Pilot, Adebayo, who said Kwara Women received the invitation with shock and mixed feelings, called on EFCC not to allow itself be used in settling political scores and urge the commission to place national interest above personal considerations.
Describing Barrister Toyin Saraki as a woman of virtue and passion for the well being of Nigerians, the Women leader said Kwara women have always supported the anti-corruption stance of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, especially his respect for the rule of law.
It however "views the whole scenario of the invitation of our mother and mentor, Barrister Toyin Saraki as borne out of political excesses and legal misfiring.
"Barrister Toyin Saraki has never held any political office beyond her humanitarian service through the Wellbeing Foundation, we therefore view EFCC's invitation as an act of political immaturity and attempt to smear her name".
Part of the statement reads:
"It is more disheartening that after God has granted our party success at almost all levels with the cooperation of women, inclusive of Barrister Toyin Saraki, whose motherly role to Kwarans and non-Kwarans endeared her to the heart of all, such an action could be perpetrated against her.
"We have tried every effort to prevail on Kwara Women from staging a wild protest over this issue because we see it as a shot fired in a wrong direction, humiliating a woman who has never been a political appointee in any government.
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