The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said protests and criticisms cannot prevent the federal government and the anti-corruption agencies from investigating or inviting suspected corruption persons to answer to charges.
The party also said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would not micromanage the anti-corruption agencies, adding that it was wrong for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to accuse the APC-led federal government of unleashing the agencies against the opposition.
In a statement issued monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also dismissed the allegation by the PDP that the anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration was selective, calling it a worn-out argument.
This came as the opposition party yesterday warned the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, to stop embarrassing Buhari on his attempts to counteract facts presented by the party that this administration was dictatorial and selective in its fight against corruption.
Meanwhile, the APC in the statement, said: “The ceaseless cry of selective anti-corruption battle is a bogey invented by the PDP to intimidate the anti-corruption agencies, and it will not work. It is the PDP’s strategy to stifle the fight against corruption.
‘’How can the PDP claim to support the anti-graft battle when every time any of its members is called in for questioning, it runs to the media to shout that the battle is ‘selective’? Is it possible that anyone who is invited for questioning will not belong to a party, an ethnic group or a certain faith?’’ It queried.
APC said the anti-corruption agencies have a duty to investigate petitions sent to them, irrespective of who is involved, but noted that invitation for questioning was not the same as conviction.
‘’Those who have nothing to fear must be willing to clear their names by honouring any invitation, and only the guilty needs be afraid. The PDP must stop being hysterical over such invitations which are not going to stop simply because the opposition has called a press conference to cry wolf where there is none,’’ the party said.
However, the PDP in a statement issued by Richard Ihediwa, Special Assistant to Metuh, argued that Adesina, “in his habitual deceptive and diversionary manner, was fond of leaving critical issues of governance raised by party by insulting it.”
It referred to the Sunday’s press conference addressed by Metuh, saying as usual, Adesina left the issues to embark on insults, shadow-chasing and fouling of the media space with uncouth language.
He added that Adesina was not conversant and knowledgeable in politics and intricate issues of governance, urging the president’s spokesperson to save the presidency the embarrassment of an arrogant attempt to wave off very serious questions hanging in the face of the present administration.
The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a vacuous statement by the media aide to President Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina, in his futile attempt to counteract facts presented by the PDP that this administration is dictatorial and selective in its fight against corruption.
“Adesina, in his habitual deceptive and diversionary manner, left the critical issues of governance raised by Sunday’s press conference addressed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Metuh, and as usual, embarked on insults, shadow-chasing and fouling of the media space with uncouth language.
“This office has noted Adesina’s several previous unwarranted personal attacks and insults deliberately targeted at the person of the PDP National Publicity Secretary, in his desperate attempt to impress his paymaster and retain his job.
“Our answer remains that inasmuch as we know that this presidency aide lacks depth on his current assignment and has no credible defence, being overwhelmed in his job of trying to launder the image of this government, the characteristic resort always, to lies, malice and vituperations should not be an option.
“While we appreciate the fact that Adesina is not conversant and knowledgeable in politics and intricate issues of governance, he should have applied the common sense of covering his hollowness in this regard and save the presidency the embarrassment of an arrogant attempt to wave off very serious questions hanging in the face of the present administration.
“May we remind the presidency that Nigerians are still waiting for its response to salient national issues raised by the PDP National Publicity Secretary bordering on relentless abuse of power, selective application of war against corruption, witch-hunting of opposition elements and perceived political opponents, threats to democratic institutions and government’s clear of lack direction on economic issues.”
According to the opposition party, “How can Adesina explain the fact that while former PDP governors and ministers are being arrested, their APC counterparts, who have more damaging petitions with anti-graft agencies are being rewarded with ministerial positions, with yet others granted APC tickets for Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship elections respectively?
“Perhaps Adesina is confirming that the nation now has two separate laws for prosecuting the war against corruption; one, to nail PDP members and perceived opponents of government, and the other to protect APC members and friends of the present administration.
“We challenge Adesina, in the euphoria of trying to satisfy his paymaster, to defend him by showing Nigerians any APC member who has so far been invited or arrested by any anti-graft agency, other than PDP members and perceived political opponents such as Senate President Bukola Saraki.
“It is unfortunate that in trying to wear his master the garb of a democrat, Adesina has instead muddled up and bungled his assignment with his arrogant posturing on important national issues. Whereas this media aide may have done well in the confines of his newsroom as a media professional, he has so far succeeded in making a mockery of the office of a spokesperson of the president of a country like Nigeria.
“Our final take therefore is that the Presidency must note that Nigerians are still waiting for a proper response on the issues raised instead of invectives from an aide who apparently talks before he thinks.”
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