No Apology Over Victims Of Anti-Graft War, APC Say

ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, has said the party does not owe anybody apology if caught in the fight against corruption by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oyegun spoke after he led members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party to a meeting with Buhari on Monday night at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the issue of whether somebody belonged to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, or not did not arise.

He stated that President Buhari had committed himself to waging war against corruption, stressing that the APC was solidly behind him.

Oyegun said APC was not apologetic over the arrest of National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh.

He was specifically reacting to the criticism that his party was tending towards a one party state.

“The APC is not in any way apologetic. We promised change and there is a lot of rot in the system. This must be cleansed and whoever and whatever ox is being gored, where ever the tree is going to fall, so, let it be.

“We must get used to the fact that in the process of cleansing this nation, there is going to be a lot of bullet to bite.

“The APC has not been in office at national level in the last 10 to 16 years. So, the issue of whether somebody is PDP or not PDP does not arise. We have a nation to cleanse.

“The president has committed himself to that and we should support it whatever way it comes. We are not being apologetic about that at all.

“It has nothing to do with witch-hunting. It just happened that the dramatist personae of the period all happened to be on one side of the political divide.

“We have absolutely no intention to pressurise any group or any nation towards a one-party state. It is not in our interest so to do because we need a vibrant opposition.

“We need an opposition that will contribute constructively to national discourse; that will make us sit up and deliver to the people what we promised. But the task is enormous and if anybody is ready to help to discharge these responsibilities, he is most welcomed,” he said.

On last Saturday’s concluded gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, Oyegun expressed regret that many people lost their lives, stressing that the party had a lot of reservations over the conduct of the election.

According to him, APC would examine the conduct and outcome of the election and decide on the next step to take.

On the political situation in Kogi State, Oyegun said the party would leave the petitions and grievances on the matter for the court to decide.

Meanwhile, the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday demanded the release of Chief Metuh within 48 hours.

The PDP lawmakers, led by Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, addressing journalists, demanded the release of Metuh either through administrative bail as was the case with former administrator of Kaduna State, Jafaru Jafaru, or be arraigned before any court of competent jurisdiction.

The party said the continued detention of Metuh in disobedience to the law of the land amounted to political witch-hunt and application of different strokes for different folks.

The caucus said although it had nothing against the on-going ant-graft war of the present administration, it would never support any actions or attitude meant to perpetrate selective justice.

It added that the actions of the ruling party suggested dictatorship and that it would continue to battle any undemocratic actions until the rights of everybody in the country was respected.

When asked why Metuh had not refunded any money like Isa did, Ogor said it was not the duty of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to ask for refund of any money but a competent court of jurisdiction where necessary.

Metuh was alleged by EFCC to have own up to collecting N400m from former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

His continued detention, according to EFCC, was due to his refusal to refund the money, opting instead to go on hunger.

Credit: National Mirror (Nigeria)