The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has denied ulterior motive behind the senate’s decision to invite the chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, saying EFCC is not the only government agency facing a Senate probe.
On July 23, the EFCC grilled the Senate president’s wife, Toyin Saraki, over alleged involvement in shady contracts during her husband’s tenure as governor of Kwara State.
The Senate has announced a probe of the EFCC and its chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, over the alleged diversion of at least N1 trillion recovered in cash and assets from corrupt officials.
The senate investigation, following a petition, has fuelled allegations that the lawmakers may be seeking ways of getting back at the anti-graft agency.
But a statement by Mr. Saraki’s media aide, Bamikole Omisore, said EFCC is not the only government agency that has petition against it pending before the Senate.
“There are pending petitions against the CG Custom, FIRS and NPA, amongst others. Is it Senator Saraki that hired or engaged people to do this?
“To set the record straight, nobody can rightfully claim that Senator Saraki engaged the services of the petitioner or any other person for that matter. There are about four different petitions from individuals, groups and corporate organisations written against the EFCC and submitted to the Senate,” the statement said.
Mr. Omisore said any insinuation that Mr. Saraki is attempting to prevent the EFCC from carrying out its constitutional responsibility is a hoax and figment of the imagination of the writer.
“Let it be known that the idea of people using the media to intimidate or blackmail the Senate to prevent it from performing its constitutional and legislative duties will be resisted and as such, meet stiff opposition expressed through lawful means.
“Senator Saraki is not the same as the Senate or National Assembly as an institution. Imputing sentiment into the legitimate working of any government institution will not augur well for our development and democratic process,” the statement said.
