23rd December, 2013
MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano
Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, northwest Nigeria, Monday evening described the arrest and detention of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Gambo Sallau and 10 other principal officers by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, as politically motivated.
Addressing journalists in his office, Kwankwaso said EFCC was used by the powers-that-be to persecute the Kano lawmakers simply because they defected with him to All Progressives Congress, APC.
Kwankwaso in the wake of internal crisis that rocked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as a result of the agitation of the G-7 Governors which he was a prominent member, left the PDP for the APC in search of brighter political future.
The Kano state governor defected with all his political machine called Kwankwasiyya movement.
The governor, while addressing journalists warned that persistent persecution of his loyalists by the presidency might lead to unwarranted political crisis, wondering why EFCC, being anti-corruption agency that is supposed to be used for public interest, is being used to witch-hunt people perceived to be enemies of the government at the centre.
In the words of Kwankwaso, “the Government of Kano state has noted with utter disappointment and surprise, the arrest today (Monday) by the EFCC, of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Gambo Sallau, principal officers and Clerk of the House.
“It is Chrystal clear that the above mentioned public officials were arrested by the EFCC on the orders from the above, because of the legislators’ defection to APC, in support of Governor Kwankwaso”.
This action is obviously to intimidate and cow them into submission for choosing to move to the progressive fold. This action is not only despicable and absurd but also capable of igniting crisis in the polity, thereby breaching the relative peace that is being enjoyed in Kano state.
“It is regrettable that the EFCC is allowing itself to be a tool of witch-hunt in the hands of powers that be.”
Arrested alongside the Speaker, Alh. Gambo Sallau, are the Deputy Speaker, Isyaku Ali Danja, the Chief Whip, the Deputy Chief Whip, Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader.
The rest are Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Chairman House Committee on Finance and Clerk of the House.