Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, has slammed the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying the social gathering is now identified for taking part in politics with critical nationwide points.
Based on him, it was this purpose {that a} former director basic of Nigeria’s Nationwide Intelligence Company, NIA, Ayodele Oke, was as soon as prosecuted by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, EFCC, as a member of the Peoples Democratic Occasion, PDP, with out having something in opposition to him.
Oke was appointed by then president Goodluck Jonathan to go the NIA however the APC authorities led by late former President Muhammadu Buhari used the EFCC to open corruption instances in opposition to him.
Talking after the screening of the primary ambassadorial nominees submitted to the Nationwide Meeting by President Bola Tinubu, of which Mr Oke was one of many three names, Dickson slammed the APC, insisting that such prosecution shouldn’t occur within the first place.
Recall that President Tinubu had taken the names of three people to the Senate for screening and affirmation as ambassadors.
They had been Ayodele Oke, Kayode Are, and Aminu Dalhatu.
Bayelsa West Senator Dickson who’s the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on International Affairs, mentioned he was curious to know the way the Oke’s corruption case with the Nigerian authorities ended.
The lawmaker maintained that the Senate owes the nation an obligation to throw some related questions on the nominees to clear the air on sure developments.
“I requested Oke, pointedly, to clear the air on the controversies resulting in his exit from workplace[as NIA DG. In his answers, Ambassador Oke…explained the issues leading to his departure from office and furnished us with a copy of a court order affirming his acquittal, following the withdrawal of the case against him,” Dickson wrote on X.
“This confirms the view I have long held: that since its formation, the APC has always played politics with serious national issues such as corruption, terrorism, and the economy. They politicised and ethnicised the Boko Haram and terrorism challenges, which have escalated over the years under their watch, even with a President from the North.
“They played politics with the attempt at reduction of fuel subsidy, but have now turned around to impose a harsher version of total subsidy removal, which has plunged Nigerians into poverty. And they played a one-sided anti-corruption crusade targeting and criminalising opposition leaders.
“After listening to Mr. Oke’s explanation, I have no doubt that he was a victim of the APC’s misguided vendetta to criminalise the PDP and its leadership, just as they did to Sambo Dasuki, former NSA.
“No one is against a well-structured and systematic, apolitical fight against corruption, which is a major national issue, but it must not target selected individuals or the opposition. It must be fought across board, as all are equal before the law.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), as well as other security and intelligence institutions, must be handled with greater respect and discretion, even when issues of misconduct arise.
“These are strategic tools in the hands of the President and the nation, and must be jealously protected and guarded, irrespective of political or other considerations, in order not to compromise the security architecture of the country.
“Once an assignment, order, or objective is approved by a sitting President acting within his powers, and the order is not unlawful, the intelligence chief must be protected, even if we disagree with that order as politicians.
“Following Mr. Oke’s explanation and the withdrawal of the case by the EFCC, which should not have started in the first place, I voted to clear Mr. Oke, and I congratulate him. I also voted at the Committee to clear the two other ambassadorial nominees — Kayode Are and Aminu Dalhatu — who are very experienced and eminently qualified Nigerians.”
