Why ex-Senate President Mark was arrested, quizzed

There were revelations yesterday on why former Senate President,
Senator David Mark, was arrested and quizzed by the Economic and
Financial Crimes commission (EFCC).

A source in Mark’s camp told our correspondent that the EFCC
wanted the former Senate President to account for the campaign cash
sent to Benue State by the campaign team of former President
Goodluck Jonathan in the build-up to the 2015 presidential
election.

But the source said that EFCC was merely chasing shadows because
Mark was never a part of ex-President Jonathan’s campaign team.

“EFCC is chasing shadows, all the allegations border on sheer
politics because 2019 poll is around the corner,” the source said
yesterday.

It added: “They asked Mark to account for campaign cash sent to
Benue State when Oga (Mark) was not part of ex-President’s
Jonathan’s campaign team.

“In fact, the campaign team in Benue State was coordinated by
ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam. The former Senate President was kept in
the dark.

“Oga was sidelined during Jonathan’s campaign and there is no
way he can account for what he did not know about.”

While Mark’s camp believes that his arrest by the EFCC had
political undertone, a source said the former Senate President may
issue a formal statement today (Saturday) on what transpired
between him and the EFCC.

It was learnt yesterday that the EFCC had raised a new team to
grill the former Senate President on Monday on the alleged campaign
cash suspected to have been sourced from the Office of the National
Security Adviser (ONSA).

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Barring any
last-minute change of schedule, the ex-President of the Senate has
been advised to return to the EFCC on Monday for a comprehensive
grilling.

“A team of detectives has been raised to interrogate him. After
the session on Monday, the EFCC will then release the details on
why Mark was invited.

“So far, we don’t want to take any action which may jeopardise
ongoing investigation of the ex-President of the Senate.”

Offering an insight into what transpired between Mark and EFCC
officials before he was granted administrative bail on Thursday, a
source in Mark’s camp said: “One online medium is talking of money
shared to Senators. But when Oga was confronted, he said he had no
knowledge of the amount in question.

“He asked the EFCC operatives to show any evidence linking him
with the sharing of any cash. These operatives could not produce a
sheet of the beneficiaries of the so-called funds.

“Mark has not shown interest in any office in 2019 and they have
started hounding him. It is really unfortunate.”

Asked of the next step, the source added: “The ex-President of
the Senate may issue an official statement on Saturday
(today).”

Meanwhile, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu has
promised to launch in-depth investigation into the cases of
corruption reported by the ECOWAS Commission President, Marcel de
Souza.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC said Magu
made the disclosure during a visit the ECOWAS President paid
him.

Magu said: “I am happy to see you here. I assure you that we
will launch investigation into the activities in the Commission
(ECOWAS), and we will soon sanitise it.

“We have a strategy to unravel any fraudulent activity. We will
partner with you to bring corrupt elements within the system to
justice.”

The President of the ECOWAS Commission however commended the
EFCC for its resolve in tackling corruption in Nigeria.

He said the agency “compares with similar bodies in the West for
its efficiency and effectiveness.”

He added: “We are here to appreciate the great job EFCC is doing
in fighting corruption and to see how the agency can help us
investigate some cases of internal corruption within the ECOWAS
Commission.”

While commending President Buhari for making the fight against
corruption a cardinal focus of his government, Souza said that
“there is no gainsaying that the efforts of the present
administration in redeeming the image of Nigeria in the
international community are yielding positive results.”

There were revelations yesterday on why former Senate President,
Senator David Mark, was arrested and quizzed by the Economic and
Financial Crimes commission (EFCC).

A source in Mark’s camp told our correspondent that the EFCC
wanted the former Senate President to account for the campaign cash
sent to Benue State by the campaign team of former President
Goodluck Jonathan in the build-up to the 2015 presidential
election.

But the source said that EFCC was merely chasing shadows because
Mark was never a part of ex-President Jonathan’s campaign team.

“EFCC is chasing shadows, all the allegations border on sheer
politics because 2019 poll is around the corner,” the source said
yesterday.

It added: “They asked Mark to account for campaign cash sent to
Benue State when Oga (Mark) was not part of ex-President’s
Jonathan’s campaign team.

“In fact, the campaign team in Benue State was coordinated by
ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam. The former Senate President was kept in
the dark.

“Oga was sidelined during Jonathan’s campaign and there is no
way he can account for what he did not know about.”

While Mark’s camp believes that his arrest by the EFCC had
political undertone, a source said the former Senate President may
issue a formal statement today (Saturday) on what transpired
between him and the EFCC.

It was learnt yesterday that the EFCC had raised a new team to
grill the former Senate President on Monday on the alleged campaign
cash suspected to have been sourced from the Office of the National
Security Adviser (ONSA).

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Barring any
last-minute change of schedule, the ex-President of the Senate has
been advised to return to the EFCC on Monday for a comprehensive
grilling.

“A team of detectives has been raised to interrogate him. After
the session on Monday, the EFCC will then release the details on
why Mark was invited.

“So far, we don’t want to take any action which may jeopardise
ongoing investigation of the ex-President of the Senate.”

Offering an insight into what transpired between Mark and EFCC
officials before he was granted administrative bail on Thursday, a
source in Mark’s camp said: “One online medium is talking of money
shared to Senators. But when Oga was confronted, he said he had no
knowledge of the amount in question.

“He asked the EFCC operatives to show any evidence linking him
with the sharing of any cash. These operatives could not produce a
sheet of the beneficiaries of the so-called funds.

“Mark has not shown interest in any office in 2019 and they have
started hounding him. It is really unfortunate.”

Asked of the next step, the source added: “The ex-President of
the Senate may issue an official statement on Saturday
(today).”

Meanwhile, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu has
promised to launch in-depth investigation into the cases of
corruption reported by the ECOWAS Commission President, Marcel de
Souza.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC said Magu
made the disclosure during a visit the ECOWAS President paid
him.

Magu said: “I am happy to see you here. I assure you that we
will launch investigation into the activities in the Commission
(ECOWAS), and we will soon sanitise it.

“We have a strategy to unravel any fraudulent activity. We will
partner with you to bring corrupt elements within the system to
justice.”

The President of the ECOWAS Commission however commended the
EFCC for its resolve in tackling corruption in Nigeria.

He said the agency “compares with similar bodies in the West for
its efficiency and effectiveness.”

He added: “We are here to appreciate the great job EFCC is doing
in fighting corruption and to see how the agency can help us
investigate some cases of internal corruption within the ECOWAS
Commission.”

While commending President Buhari for making the fight against
corruption a cardinal focus of his government, Souza said that
“there is no gainsaying that the efforts of the present
administration in redeeming the image of Nigeria in the
international community are yielding positive results.”