Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in February 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, has told the Federal Government to prosecute the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, instead of persecuting him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had claimed that Saraki withdrew N12 billion in cash from the treasury of the Kwara State Government while he was governor of the state between 2003 and 2011.
Saraki replied on Monday that he was innocent of the allegations.
In a statement on Tuesday, Atiku said he was for prosecuting the corrupt but that there is a ‘huge difference’ between prosecution and persecution.
“I stand against corruption in government, which was why my office personally facilitated the take-off of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with a loan, after that most important anti-corruption institution was founded by then President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“However, there is a huge difference between prosecution and persecution. I am all for prosecuting the corrupt, but I believe it is wrong to use the instruments of state to persecute political opponents.
“Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the immediate past Senate President, is one of the most investigated politicians in Nigeria. He has been investigated and prosecuted all the way to the Supreme Court and has prevailed against his accusers. It was expected that that should have been the end of the matter.
“However, the revival of previously investigated cases, and the fact that Dr. Saraki was politically opposed to the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari seems to give strong grounds for objective bystanders to conclude that his current travails have gone beyond prosecution and are now tending towards persecution,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President urged Saraki “to stand firm and take solace in the fact Nigerians still hold the constitution higher than any other authority.”
