The EFCC Monday swooped on the Kano
State House of Assembly and detained the
Speaker of the House, Alh. Gambo Sallau,
alongside principal officers in what the
state government has described as a
political assault on the state government
following the mass defection of the State
Governor, Engr. Rabiu Kwakwanso
alongside several other key politicians in
government positions to the opposition
All Progressive Congress (APC) from the
ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Arrested alongside the Speaker are the
Deputy Speaker, Isyaku Ali Danja, the Chief
Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Majority Leader,
Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader,
Deputy Minority Leader, Chairman House
Committee on Appropriation, Chairman
House Committee on Finance and Clerk of
the House. Continue...
A statement by the Government of Kano
State said it noted with utter
disappointment and surprise, the arrest
of the officials.
The statement by the Director of Press
and Public Relations to the state governor,
Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye, stated that the
public officials were apparently arrested
in connection with the budget
amendment of 2013 of the State
Government, which has already been
signed into law by the state governor,
Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
The statement added that the Speaker
and his colleagues have only exercised
their constitutional responsibilities of
ensuring that budgets are properly
articulated, to ensure probity and
accountability in public expenditure, so
that in the end, the citizens enjoy
dividends of democracy.
“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,”
the government said, adding that “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.”
THEWILL contacted the EFCC spokesman,
Mr. Wilson Uwajaren, to seek further
information on why the officials were
detained and the allegation of witch-hunt,
he urged us to email our questions for a
formal response.
Mr. Uwajaren’s had not responded to our
questions as at the time of filing this
repor t.
SOURCE:
http://thewillnigeria.com/news/aftermath-of-defection-to-apc-efcc-
detains-kano-speaker-principal-officers/