Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has welcomed the arrest of the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud.
Frank who gave this indication in a statement in Abuja, however urged the EFCC to also arrest and prosecute former Governors who are contemporaries of Okowa with petitions of fraud against them, especially the G-5 Governors.
The G-5 Governors are Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel (Benue), Okezie and Ikpeazu (Abia).
He said while he is in total support of the EFCC’s efforts to curb corruption in the country, he would not condone political vendetta against Okowa now being selectively targeted for prosecution because he is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Frank said: “We welcome the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) arrest of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who served as running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 Presidential election.
“Okowa’s arrest is a significant step towards holding public officials accountable for their actions, particularly regarding the alleged misappropriation of N1.3trillion from Delta State’s derivation funds.
“However, we urge the EFCC to adopt a more comprehensive rather than selective approach in addressing corruption.
“Nigerians are aware that there are pending petitions against other former governors with the EFCC, notably the G-5 Governors – Wike, Ortom, Ugwuanyi, and Ikpeazu – who are members of the PDP but supported Tinubu’s Presidential bid in 2023.
“These governors have been accused of various financial misdeeds, and it is essential that the EFCC investigates and prosecutes them accordingly. Wike has no immunity and he cannot be above the law, therefore let the EFCC arrest and prosecute him too.”
Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, added: “While we are happy to see that EFCC has arrest Okowa, it should do same to the rest, particularly the G 5 governors. We want to see them arrested, charged to court and prosecuted.
“Intelligence from our sources, shows there’s a memo from the presidency to EFCC not to prosecute the G -5 governors as part of the bargain they had during the 2023 general election.
“We challenge the EFCC to prove us wrong by arresting members of the G-5 governors based on the various petitions against them.
“Is the EFCC saying that the G-5 governors are saints and have no corruption cases against them? The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, presented a petition against ex-Governor Ikpeazu and nothing has been done.
Besides, there are other officials in Tinubu’s government that have corruption cases to answer, such as the Minister of Works, David Umahi and the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawale that has engaged in trading corruption allegations with the Zamfara State Government, among others.”
He called on the EFCC to demonstrate its commitment to impartiality and transparency, saying, “Failing to arrest and prosecute other former governors who were Okowa’s contemporaries, as well as officials in the Tinubu’s administration with pending petitions, would undermine the legitimacy of Okowa’s arrest. Such selective justice would amount to political vendetta.
“We caution the EFCC that failure to act on these petitions and prosecute other corrupt governors may lead us to report them to their UK and US partners, potentially jeopardizing international cooperation.
“Alternatively, we demand the unconditional release of Okowa, if the EFCC cannot demonstrate a genuine commitment to fighting corruption without this glaring bias.
“The EFCC’s guidelines on arrest, bail, and processing of suspects emphasize the importance of adhering to the rule of law and international best practices.
“We expect the commission to uphold these principles in its investigation and prosecution of Okowa and other accused individuals.”
He noted that to restore public trust, “the EFCC must Investigate and prosecute all corruption cases, regardless of political affiliation; ensure transparency in its investigation and prosecution processes and demonstrate impartiality in its treatment of accused individuals.”
He said that it is only through comprehensive and unbiased action that the EFCC can truly serve the Nigerian people and uphold the principles of justice.