PDP Lawmakers Demand Immediate Release Of Secondus
Prince Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman of PDP[/caption]
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release the party’s deputy national’s chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, from their custody with immediate effect.
Secondus was arrested by officials of the anti-graft agency on Wednesday and grilled for hours. The chieftain was allegedly arrested in connection with allegations that he collected N302 million car gift from, Jide Omokore, the detained promoter of Atlantic Energy Concepts Limited, who is being held over alleged fraudulent oil deals worth billions of naira.
Minority leader in the lower chamber, Leo Ogor, who spoke on behalf of the PDP lawmakers said that Secondus arrest was a grand plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government to muzzle the opposition.
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According to Ogor, the reason for his arrest was flimsy and did not connect him to the crime preferred against him.
He said it is incomprehensible how a car gift by a private businessman would be enough ground to arrest a political party official.
He said, “The recent arrest of our deputy national chairman has been of major concern to us because it points clearly to the unrelenting agenda to dominate the PDP, and obliterate viable opposition by the ruling party.
“I think it is something that calls for concern and the hour and time has come for every Nigerian to also start asking questions. What actually is going on? Is the EFCC actually playing somebody’s script? Or, is it a form of intimidation, trying to gag the opposition parties?
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“The allegation against our deputy national chairman is that he was given vehicles by a private business man, either as political patronage or some level of contribution,” he added.
