Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has raised the alarm over the alleged plan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to raid his home in Enugu State and plant incriminating items in it.
He further alleged that the proposed raid was to ensure his arrest, detention and indictment, with the aim of frustrating his political ambitions.
The Deputy Senate President alleged that mission to move against him was being sponsored by a cabal in the Presidency.
Ekweremadu, who raised a point of order at the plenary on Wednesday, said he was informed of the alleged plan by a ‘whistle-blower’ close to the EFCC.
The Deputy Senate President read a two-page letter purportedly written by an insider, which was poorly-written and titled ‘Please Treat This With Utmost Secrecy by Protecting the Identity of the Source.’
It read, “To the Deputy Senate President: I am a trained investigative journalist working under the EFCC ‘covert intelligence spy police.’
“Distinguished senator, there is a grand plan from the cabal in the Presidency, using EFCC as an anti-graft agency, to indict and remove you from office. This cabal in the Presidency has mandated the EFCC chairman to carry out this evil operation within two weeks.
“The plan and the trap goes like this: On the 6th of May 2017 – Saturday night stroke Sunday morning – the EFCC, alongside local and international media, both print and TV and radio, will raid an apartment under the guise of whistleblowing policy of the Federal Government with a search warrant already obtained in the magistrate’s court to search an apartment alleging to be one of your guest houses in Enugu State capital or any suitable available apartment in your senatorial district that will serve this evil purpose.
“EFCC (will be) claiming to have received a tip-off from a whistle-blower in your state alerting the agency of a ‘large huge’ amount of money of different currencies in the said apartment belonging to you, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a proceed of which is likely to be (considered as) illegally obtained and acquired, which constitute abuse of office and corruption.”
The ‘informant’ also listed the exhibits to be recovered from the planned operation.
The letter further read, “The things to be discovered in said apartment are a huge amount of money with different currencies such as British Pound Sterling, United States dollars, Indian rupee, South Africa rand and Malaysian Ringgit; documents alleging to be yours such as 2015 campaign memo and logistics, a list of names chairman local wards of party men and women that benefited from your empowerment program; and other cooked documents bearing your signature.
“A single ‘photo portrait’ of yours that will be placed in the sitting room well; ammunitions such as AK 47, two pump action guns with unused bullets.
“You will be invited by the anti-graft agency for questioning and interrogation to shed more light of the said apartment, which will lead to your arrest and detention pending the outcome of the investigation.
“While you are still in detention, well-sponsored non-governmental organisations will be protesting round the nation – Lagos, Enugu, Anambra, FCT Abuja. Sponsored youths in your senatorial district will come to Abuja, protesting at the National Assembly gate with petitions, submitting one to the Senate President and one to the Clerk of the National Assembly recalling you.
“While the protest is ongoing according to their evil plan, the EFCC, after detaining you for at least three weeks, you will be charged to court since Section 308 immunity clause does not apply to your office.
“The cabal in the Presidency, their target is this: to indicted you and to kill your political ambition so that you can no longer stand for any future elections; and to show to the international community and Nigerian people that you, Senator lke Ekweremadu, is a corrupt politician.
“I sympathise with you and God will continue to use people like us to destabilise their evil plan against you. I wish you all the best in your political journey.”
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the plenary, said, “Your point is well noted,” after Ekweremadu’s presentation.
