…you’re not above the law – EFCC replies Senate President
Senate President, Bukola Saraki has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop the witch-hunt against him.
This comes as the EFCC has put machinery in motion to investigate the tenure of Saraki as Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.
Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Senate President, said while Saraki had kept quiet over the series of letters sent to various institutions where Saraki had served or is serving in which the commission stated that it was conducting various investigations, the Senate President was compelled to make his positions known on the less than noble and patriotic objectives behind these investigations because “we believe it is a mere witch-hunt exercise, aimed at settling scores, laced with malicious and partisan motives.”
“We will first make clarifications to put a lie to some of the claims made by the EFCC in the statement issued yesterday. The EFCC claimed that “the commission’s letter to the Kwara State Government House, which sought an inquest into Saraki’s earnings as the state Governor, from 2003 to 2011 was dated Friday, April 26, 2019, predating his announcement as IHRC ambassador at large which came on Sunday, April 28, 2019 with two clear days”. It should be noted that the IHRC letter informing the Senate President of his appointment is dated March 16, 2019, that is about 40 days before the EFCC wrote its letter conveying the investigations to Kwara State Government House. In fact, the media team of the Senate President held on to the announcement of the appointment for several weeks so that we could do due diligence on it.
“At this point, we need to remind members of the public that Dr. Saraki’s tenure as Kwara State Governor has been investigated several times since his last months in Office in 2010 till date. In fact, at a point, as incumbent Governor, he voluntarily waived his immunity and submitted to investigation and yet nothing was found against him. Also, members of the public should be reminded that during the proceedings of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) between 2015 and 2018, it became clear that the evidence relied upon was from investigations conducted by the EFCC on his tenure as Governor and that is why the lead witness for the prosecution was an EFCC agent, Michael Wetkas. Yet, the CCT in its judgement dismissed the 16 charges filed against Dr. Saraki and that verdict was upheld by the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court,” the statement said.
According to the statement, this new investigation into Saraki’s activities as Governor of Kwara State was a repeat performance, saying that the EFCC was fishing for evidence that they did not get in the past investigations which had spanned almost nine years.
“However, we need to remind the Commission that Dr. Saraki is not an outgoing Governor. Since 2011, tens of governors have been in and out of our various State Houses. Like wise, hundreds of Senators and Representatives have been in and out of the National Assembly. To single out one individual for persistent investigation can only be logically and plausibly interpreted to be a witch-hunt. This is definitely no fight against corruption. It is a battle waged against a ‘political enemy’. It is a ‘label to damage’ plot,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki that “he is not above the law”.
Acting spokesman of the commission, Mr Tony Orilade said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
The spokesman was reacting to a statement, “EFCC, Stop Witch-Hunting Saraki”, credited to Saraki’s media aide, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu.
According to Orilade, the EFCC has taken note of the reactions of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki to the Commission’s inquiries regarding his earnings as Kwara State governor.
Recently, the commission had begun investigation into the Senate President’s activities while he held sway as the Governor of Kwara State.
“While it is his prerogative to ventilate his views on the matter as he deems fit, the commission takes great exception at the desperate attempt to cast a slur on its investigative activities by portraying Saraki as a victim of persecution.
“Furthermore, the agency finds the attempt by the Senate President to tie our inquest to his International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) appointment and his approaching life out of power as misleading.
“This is knowing too well that the background to our current inquiries reaches several years back.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC is obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and has supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone.
“It is in the interest of the public and for Saraki’s personal good, that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so,” he said.
