The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State has strongly criticised the arrest of former governor and serving senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing it as a calculated attempt to silence opposition voices in Nigeria.
Tambuwal, who governed Sokoto State for eight years and also served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, was taken into EFCC custody on Monday over allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure.
In a statement issued in the early hours of Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sanyinnawal, the Sokoto PDP alleged that the arrest was politically motivated and part of a broader plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to intimidate opponents and weaken growing resistance to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The so-called investigation is nothing more than a fishing expedition, revived from an old phantom case that has failed to produce evidence in the past. It is the handiwork of political actors in Sokoto and Abuja who are desperate to smear Tambuwal’s enviable image and force him to abandon his stand against misrule,” the statement read in part.
The party insisted that Tambuwal’s administration was characterised by fiscal discipline and transparency, accusing the EFCC of engaging in selective prosecution while ignoring “genuine corruption cases” involving members of the ruling party.
Calling on anti-graft agencies to “live above board,” the PDP urged its members and the people of Sokoto State to remain calm but steadfast in their demand for genuine democracy and good governance.
“Our trust in Tambuwal’s integrity cannot be shaken by politically motivated probes,” the statement concluded.
