By Mumini Abdulkareem
A Kinsman of former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki last night responded to allegation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following allegation of illegal withdrawal of N12bn from the coffers of the state during his tenure as governor.
According to the Director-General of ABS Mandate Office, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, the allegation coming few months after the same issue has been quashed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Supreme Court, is baseless and a witch-hunt, adding that the former Senate President will be vindicated.
In a telephone chat last night, Abdullahi described the action of the anti-graft commission as complete humiliation and witch hunting orchestrated by his enemies to castigate the former Senate President, saying that โthey are only chasing shadowsโ.
โThe allegation can be described as a complete humiliation and witch hunting at this material time coming from those who are looking for every way to castigate Saraki.
โIt’s a baseless one that could not hold waters this time around. They are only chasing shadows. He has been cleared of this allegation before by the Supreme Court before. How come he is still being tried again if not for the fact that some perceived enemies are using the EFCC to witch-hunt him.
โThis is the handy work of his detractors and by the special grace of God, he will come out cleanโ, he added.
In an earlier reaction, Saraki had said the acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, was on a revenge mission because of the role he (Saraki) played in blocking his confirmation as EFCC chairman.
โApart from the instigation by my political adversaries, my close contacts have confirmed to me that the 4th respondent (EFCC) renewed its harassment as a way of punishing me for the decision of the Senate not to clear acting chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, to be appointed as the substantive chairman of the commission,โ he said.
He said the EFCC was also pained because he was in charge of the Senate when the legislative arm of government ensured the creation of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit โto Magu’s annoyanceโ.
He had also alleged that he was being witch-hunted by the anti-graft body because he emerged as the Senate President against the wishes of certain elements in the APC in 2015.
According to him, the allegations leveled against him were not new as he had been charged before the CCT and emerged victorious.
He said the aggrieved elements in the APC were using the EFCC agency to harass him.
