Posted by By Our Correspondent on
The Action Congress has said that the indictment of state governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was planned by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party to whip the governors into line, rather than to advance the country's battle against corruption.
The Action Congress has said that the indictment of state governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was planned by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party to whip the governors into line, rather than to advance the country's battle against corruption.
According to a statement by the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the AC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the indictment was to ensure that the governors supported any move by the Presidency in the countdown to the 2007 elections.
The statement added, 'Knowing full well that they are losing grip of the party, with many governors deserting the PDP, they decided to use the EFCC to harass and intimidate the governors."
The party said that the indictment was timed to coincide with the National Council of State meeting attended by the governors and the National Executive Council meeting of the PDP so as to frighten the governors into submission, adding, 'With the governors virtually herded like chickens into a pen, which of them will dare raise a voice against Vice-President Atiku Abubakar's so-called suspension by a kangaroo PDP NEC meeting?"
The party said with the suspension of the VP, Obasanjo then downplayed the indictment, 'making a laughing stock of himself and his avowed fight against corruption."
The AC said that the action 'confirmed our fears that the EFCC is nothing but an enforcement arm of the PDP and the government."
Speaking further on the indictment, the party accused the EFCC of ignorance of the constitution by going to the Senate to indict state governors, instead of passing whatever it had on the state chief executives to their respective Houses of Assembly for action.
It said the upper legislative chamber had no oversight function over the EFCC beyond accounting purposes.
It criticised the anti-corruption agency for sensationalising the alleged indictment, lack of thoroughness and selective application of its powers.