The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of playing politics with the revocation of the bail earlier granted to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the action taken by the EFCC was not driven by law enforcement but by political considerations.
According to the party, Malami did not violate any of the conditions attached to his bail and had continued to cooperate with EFCC investigators.
“From all available evidence, Malami did not violate any of the legal conditions attached to his initial bail. As a senior lawyer and former number one law officer in the country, he understands what it means to violate bail conditions.”
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The ADC argued that the timing of the bail revocation raised serious concerns, especially as it came shortly after Malami attended a political rally in Kebbi State in pursuit of his governorship ambition.
“What he probably did not know was that attending a political gathering in his home state could suddenly become a reason for revoking his bail,” the party stated.
The statement added that this had created the impression that the EFCC was trying to curtail his political activities rather than pursue justice.
“By barring a citizen from political activity, the EFCC arrogates to itself powers it does not possess under the Constitution. No agency of government has the power to suspend political rights, redraw political boundaries, or determine where a citizen’s political interest may or may not be exercised.
“That this restriction applied only to Kebbi State leaves one with an inescapable conclusion that the EFCC’s real agenda is to cripple his political ambition in the state.
While reiterating its support for the fight against corruption, the ADC warned against what it described as selective investigation and the weaponisation of anti-graft agencies against opposition figures.
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“Politicising the fight against corruption is itself a major form of corruption. We would like to call the EFCC’s attention to the Afrobarometer survey data on corruption in Nigeria that was released earlier in the year. The report rated the Presidency (the President and officials) as the third most corrupt public institution in the country, coming closely behind the police and the National
Assembly, respectively.”
The party maintained that Malami is innocent of the allegations against him until proven guilty by a competent court and demanded his immediate release on bail without conditions that restrict his political rights.
“More importantly, we demand his immediate release on bail, without the attached conditions that stifle his political rights,” the statement added.