A civil society organization – the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) – has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tread carefully in the prosecution of opposition figures, particularly former vice president and presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, warned that reopening the case file of a presidential candidate at this time could inflame passions.
The EFCC has reportedly reopened its investigation into allegations against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following a petition by former House of Representatives member, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, seeking his prosecution over alleged financial crimes.
“It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. We warn that reopening the case file of a presidential candidate at this time could inflame passions. EFCC should not heat the polity. No candidate should be underestimated. EFCC should rethink the reopening of Atiku’s file,” Akintola said, adding that, “It is instructive that some lawmakers in the National Assembly have uncleared corruption cases. Several other Nigerians who have cases of fraud to answer are walking the streets. EFCC should do a rethink on the reopening of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s case file, particularly at this sensitive period.
“MURIC is not encouraging corrupt practices. Neither are we saying the law must not take its due course. What we are saying is that there should be a level playing field. All alleged fraud offenders should be given equal treatment. There should be no selective apprehension of perceived offenders. But in particular, a sensitive electioneering period should not be turned into a hunting season.
“Where was EFCC all these years? Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s case file has always been in EFCC’s cabinet (since 2006), and this presidential candidate has never hidden his intention to contest over and over again.
“Was EFCC on sabbatical when Atiku threw his hat in the ring this time around? Was the anti-graft agency on strike when his party gave him the mandate? It will be provocative to arrest him now or start any investigation. It is a ruse. EFCC should not play the advocatus diaboli.
“We should be mindful of protest votes if leading opposition candidates are clamped in jail. Sympathy votes may motivate lackadaisical citizens to vote and spend quality time at the polling booths to protect their votes. It is therefore not in the interest of the ruling party nor that of President Bola Tinubu to start throwing opposition candidates in jail a few weeks before a general election. Clamping them in jail may even prove catalysts for their emergence as winners at the end of the day.”
According to him, arresting any presidential candidate at this time will be a wrong strategy. It will look as if Nigerians are preparing for war, he said.
He further said, “As a civil society organization, we have a duty to stand up for all candidates and all citizens. In particular, we believe that every Muslim, nay, every Muslim candidate has the right to enjoy Allah-given fundamental human rights. Atiku is a Muslim candidate, and MURIC has a duty to give him equal treatment as we gave those who are enjoying the Muslim-Muslim ticket today when they were contesting in 2023.
“That is not to say that we will look the other way if a non-Muslim candidate is unfairly treated. Islam does not permit us to be unjust even to non-Muslims. Justice in Islam has no boundaries, no colour, no ethnicity, no nationality, and no race.
“The best advice we can give EFCC is to rethink the reopening of Atiku’s file. Nigerians are not fools. Nobody will believe that opening Atiku’s file at this time is procedural.