Corruption: PDP calls for Doyin Okupe’s release

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called forthe immediate and unconditional release of its chieftain, Dr Doyin Okupe, bythe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Okupe was said to have been summoned by the EFCC over a corruptionrelated issues ahead of his arraignment in court.

But the PDP, in a statement on Tuesday by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that his arrest and detention was an actby the Muhammadu Buhari administration to intimidate the opposition ahead ofthe 2019 general elections.

“This arrest is part of the grand plot to escalate the clampdown on opposition leaders, in the attempt to cow and subjugate them as the elections draw nearer, a scheme the PDP had since alerted the nation about,” the PDP claimed in the statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

It alleged that the EFCC was unleashed on its chieftain with “fabricated charges”, just because of his criticisms of the Buhari administration.

The party recalled that Okupe had asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday last week to declare President Buhari as not validly nominated as a presidential candidate for the 2019 elections.

It said, “Since this comment, Dr Okupe has been threatened, harassed and his home raided by officials of the EFCC last Saturday over claims of cyberstalking, which they could not substantiate, only for the commission to arrest and detain him on Monday.”

“It is indeed unfortunate that the EFCC, under President Buhari, has been turned to a militant wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hound, intimidate, harass and even extort money from opposition leaders and other Nigerians perceived to be opposed to Mr President’s ill-fated re-election bid,” the opposition party alleged.

It, however, challenged the EFCC to probe officials of the Presidency allegedly indicted for corruption, as well as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) accused of extortion.

The PDP said, “We challenge our now well-trained EFCC officials to join our security agencies and deploy their technology in the fight against terrorism in the North East.”

It further warned against chasing after opposition leaders and their family members, saying such would distract the party from reclaiming power at the centre in 2019.