The Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday decried freezing of all accounts belonging to the PDP Vice presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, his wife as well as his family members and their businesses allegedly by agencies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement also said it was astonishing that Buhari would allegedly continue to condone the looting of Nigeria’s treasury by his party leaders and the cabal in his Presidency, only to be using government agencies to attempt to blackmail the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Obi, whose reputation, he said, stood clear before all Nigerians.
According to him, Buhari’s wife, Aisha, had alluded to the looting of Nigeria allegedly by the All Progressives Congress’ leaders and the cabal in the presidency.
Ologbondiyan said, “It is ludicrous that President Buhari would continue to condone the looting of our treasuries by his party leaders and the cabal in his Presidency, which even, the First Lady had alluded to, only to be using government agencies to attempt to blackmail our presidential and vice presidential candidates whose reputation stands clear before all Nigerians.
“Since his nomination, Obi, apart from facing series of failed attempts by the APC to destroy his reputation has also continued to receive all manner of threats and blackmail, including threats to his life and those of his wife and children.”
He alleged that the Buhari Presidency was intimidated by Obi’s resume, particularly, his general acceptance as epitome of fiscal responsibility, frugality and transparency in governance.
Ologbondiyan said, “Otherwise, why is the Presidency on a wild goose chase in investigating Peter Obi, who left office as governor of Anambra State five years ago with a nationally acclaimed clean record, intact reputation for frugality, transparency, zero tolerance for corruption and leaving behind a huge saving of N75bn in cash and investment; without owing any salaries, pensions, gratuities or even contractors for contracts executed.”
In a reaction, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, however, denied the allegation that it had frozen Obi’s bank accounts.
The acting EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade said, “There is nowhere the EFCC is mentioned in this statement. The EFCC is a law-abiding agency and committed to ridding the nation of economic and financial crimes; that, we would not relent to do.
“But let nobody cry wolf where none exists. Please direct your question to the author of the statement; and please let us not speak in parables. And let the media not interpret out of context,” he added.
~The Punch
