The recent arrest of former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial crime, has set the social media abuzz.
Tambuwal was detained from Monday to Tuesday evening by EFCC when he honoured the anti-graft agency’s invite over suspicious cash withdrawal to the tune of N189bn when he was governor of Sokoto State.
His political party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), and other political groups and political allies berated the EFCC for what they called a selective anti-corruption war targeting members of the opposition political parties.
But, the EFCC on Tuesday evening took to its social media handles to set the record straight on Tambuwal’s arrest, denying the allegation of a politically-motivated anti-corruption mandate even as it blasted the ADC for allegedly raising a false alarm.
The commission quoted the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, as saying that, “If I am not condemned for investigating both former and serving strong ruling party governors and ministers, I should not be condemned for also investigating opposition figures.”
The ADC had alleged that the agency’s recent summons to opposition leaders were “politically motivated” and “not fresh cases” but reopened files meant to intimidate political rivals.
But, the EFCC dismissed the claims as “self-serving” and “diversionary,” stressing that all corruption allegations deserve investigation, regardless of timing or political affiliation.
While the EFCC stressed that it had ongoing cases against political figures “of all divides”, including some within the ruling party, however, netizens expressed skepticism, demanding action against certain high-profile politicians.
In reaction to the EFCC’s press statement on Tambuwal, social media users questioned why the anti-graft agency appeared silent on high-profile figures and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) such as former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
“Where’s Yahaya Bello and Okowa?,” one social user, James Onyebuchi Nnaji, asked pointedly in reaction to the the EFCC’s post.
Another user, Ekwe Scott Ekwe, alleged, “The moment Okowa joined APC, you allowed him be.”
Ebbo Usman said, “Every Nigerian knows that EFCC is a partisan organization being used by the ruling party to cripple the opposition party, so the grammar isn’t necessary.”
Wiser Fokoyo asked, “Have you guys catched Yahaya Bello?”
Xto Blow challenged the EFCC chairman personally, “Chairman, abeg show us your current account balance as of today’s date, make we start from you first.”
Okeke Collins argued, “Any department whose head is appointed by the ruling government in Nigeria can only do the wishes of the ruling government. No need trying to explain otherwise to us. EFCC, INEC etc only serve the interest of those that appoint them.”
Ikowa Godwin added, “We haven’t heard of Okowa since he joined APC.”
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