Magu: No sacred cow in Buhari’s govt – APC

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Gov. Mai Mala Buni

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said no alleged corrupt official can escape prosecution under the current administration led by an ‘incorruptible personality’, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The party, which clinched power in 2015, denied the allegation of witch-hunting the embattled chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, because of his (Magu) attempt to expose the “unbridled treasury looting and extortion” by the alleged cabal within the Buhari led administration.

This allegation was made in a statement earlier issued by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday as more allegations continue to ‘surface’ against the suspended EFCC boss.

In its argument, the main opposition party highlighted instances of unravelled corrupt cases by Mr Magu-led anti-graft agency but were dismissed due to the culprits affiliations to ‘the cabal.’

Some Nigerians have always accused the president of being influenced by a close group of people (cabal) in government who ensure he does as they please.

“The PDP says that the grandstanding by the Buhari Presidency in response to revelations of abuses and sleazes emanating from the investigation of the suspended acting Chairman of the APC-controlled Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, exposes a desperate attempt by a cabal to delink certain of its officials from indictment in the saga,” the opposition spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, had noted in the statement.

Mr Magu, who has been leading the anti-graft agency in acting capacity since November 9, 2015, when Ibrahim Lamorde was sacked, was suspended on Tuesday amidst allegations of gross misconduct and insubordination levelled against him by Attorney-General Abubakar Malami. He had been having conflict with the justice minister.

He is still under investigation as the panel investigating the allegations against him continues to meet.

APC reacts

Using the arrest of the embattled EFCC acting chairman as a reference, the APC in its reaction, insisted that “nobody is above the law” in the Buhari-led administration, though critics think otherwise.

“The former ruling party PDP does not have what it takes to lament about its alleged corruption practices in the present administration of APC. It is on record that the PDP is the founder of corruption in Nigeria, to the extent that the evil practices were made official way of life during its 16 wasteful years.

“In APC’s government nobody is above the law. For the fact that the suspended acting chairman of the EFCC Ibrahim Magu is being investigated should send a signal to all those who think and have blackmailed the government’s anti-corruption battle. The Presidency has assured that there is no hiding place for any corrupt government official in this administration being led by an incorruptible personality, in person of President Muhammadu Buhari,” it said.

“So, Nigerians should ignore the fake lamentations of an unrepentant corrupt PDP. The main opposition party is only pained that it’s no longer in government. PDP does not have history of caring for the people even when the revenue generations were at the highest levels,” an APC spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, said in a statement issued late Sunday night.

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