The Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government of weaponising state institutions to repress political opposition across the country.
The party raised the alarm in reaction to the arrest of the immediate past Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday.
The PDP described the move as a calculated attempt to intimidate and silence dissenting voices amid what it termed a “gathering coalition of progressive forces” against the current administration’s policies.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, the PDP alleged that the EFCC’s activities are being conducted in a selective and discriminatory manner, suggesting political desperation by the APC to retain power despite growing public dissatisfaction.
“The people of Sokoto State know the fiscal discipline and financial prudence that characterised the Tambuwal administration during his eight years as governor. The so-called investigation is nothing but a fishing expedition instigated by political actors bent on smearing his image,” the statement read.
The party claimed that the matter being investigated is an old issue that has been repeatedly dismissed in the past but is now being resurrected by “desperate political forces” who themselves have unresolved corruption cases “gathering dust” at the EFCC.
The PDP urged anti-graft agencies to operate above partisan influence, stressing that their constitutional obligations to the nation should take precedence over political agendas.
Reaffirming its confidence in Senator Tambuwal’s “unblemished credibility, ethical standards, and moral uprightness,” the party vowed to follow his lead in the push for democratic change in Sokoto State and Nigeria at large.
“We urge supporters of our great party and the good people of Sokoto to remain law-abiding, steadfast, and undeterred by the repressive schemes of reactionary forces, no matter how highly placed,” the statement added.
