Former Jigawa State Governor and elder statesman, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has accused President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of exploiting state institutions to undermine democracy and silence opposition. Lamido specifically cited the case of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, alleging that N1.3 trillion in charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have disappeared since he joined the APC.
Lamido made these accusations during an interview in Kano, lamenting that the actions of the ruling party have eroded national unity and trust, which he believes are essential for development. He stated that the government is "destroying democracy" by "crushing opposition through intimidation, through blackmail, and harassment to compel government patronage".
According to Lamido, Okowa, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice-presidential candidate in the last elections, suddenly faced charges involving N1.3 trillion from the EFCC. However, Lamido claims that after Okowa somehow found himself back in the APC, "there is no more EFCC, no more FCC". He further added that "The charges have been buried conveniently," drawing a parallel to the assertion by Adams Oshiomhole that joining the APC leads to forgiveness for any level of crime.
This alleged pattern, according to Lamido, encourages individuals who feel guilty to join the APC, thereby undermining the democratic process. He urged the government to pursue legal aspects in terms of crime but also to support democracy without harassing political opponents.
The EFCC has not issued a public statement directly addressing Lamido's specific allegations regarding Okowa's case as of this report. However, the anti-graft agency has indicated in the past that it reopens money laundering cases against former governors and public officeholders, with billions of Naira involved. The EFCC had previously approached the Supreme Court to set aside the discharge of Sule Lamido and his son in a N1.35 billion fraud case.
