National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has taken a swipe at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its alleged “unconcealed bias” in fighting corruption in the country.
In a statement by his media adviser Ike Abonyi on Thursday, he alleged that the recent arrest of contractors handling projects in only PDP states has exposed the anti-graft agency as doing the bidding of the ruling party ahead of the 2019 elections.
The PDP leader claimed that the EFCC deployed its operatives to intimidate contractors handling various projects in some PDP states with the motive of frustrating their project goals.
He also accused the Commission of refusing to heed the advisories from well-meaning Nigerians and international watchers, including that of the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright, that the agency should not take sides with any political party.
Secondus noted that rather than listening to such counsel, the EFCC allegedly made itself a willing tool to assist the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the forthcoming general polls.
He further accused the APC of failing to encourage states that are seriously involved in the delivery of democracy dividend to their people.
The PDP chairman claimed that the ruling party was conniving with relevant agencies to harass contractors allegedly to frustrate and slow them down in their development strides.
“Contractors in Taraba and Rivers states, as well as other PDP states, are being harassed by EFCC operatives and are being arm twisted to implicate PDP leaders.
“Intelligence is available to the party that the ruling party and the Federal Government have resolved to ensure that PDP states are permanently put on their toes so as not to get their bearing ahead of 2019,” Secondus alleged.
He reiterated the position of the PDP that corruption should be confronted frontally in the nation’s system.
The PDP leaders, however, maintained that meaningful results would never be achieved in an atmosphere of bias and double standards from anti-corruption agencies.
He further encouraged the PDP governors to remain fearless and reject any form of intimidation in their service to the people.
Secondus also called on the international community to note the impunity where anti-graft agencies allegedly usurp the oversight functions of the state Houses of Assembly.
