Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out it’s duties without political sentiments.
The former presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave the charge while reacting to the recent judicial victory recorded by Chairman of Daar Communications, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi who was acquitted of money laundering charges by the Federal Court of Appeal, Abuja.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, April, 1, 2021 thrown out corruption charges leveled against Raymond Dokpesi in connection with the controversial $2.1 billion arms deal that occasioned the arraignment and prolonged detention of Dasuki Sambo, National Security Adviser to former President, Goodluck Jonathan.
The court cleared Dokpesi of all charges laid against him via a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel of judges led by Justice Williams-Daudu.
The former Vice President had, in a statement signed by him, congratulated Dokpesi and expressed satisfaction over the display of impartiality by the judiciary.
Atiku, in his statement said:
“the judgment revealed the truth about the lopsided nature of the anti-corruption policy of the Buhari administration”.
In his words:
“the entire anti-corruption trials appear to be focused on opposition politicians, thereby casting doubts on the credibility of the anti-graft agency”.
Also in his statement, Atiku berated the act of harassing some members of the opposition during the 2019 presidential election by the EFCC.
The former Vice President also applauded the professional disposition of the new EFCC boss, Abudulrasheed Bawa.
“As a young man of great intellect and confidence, I’m confident that you are up to the task. You must be ready to restore the glory of the EFCC by changing its public perception as a political tool of the government in power,
“Let your conscience and history judge you. But you can only do so if you resist external manipulation. May Allah guide you aright.”
