EFCC Lacks Constitutional Powers to Probe PDP’s Funds, Says Group

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youths Frontier has
slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for inviting
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials to explain how N10billion
was allegedly diverted.

The National Coordinator of the group, Austin Okai, said in a
statement yesterday that only the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) had the legal right to probe a political party’s
finances.

The statement read in part, “It is the only INEC (the electoral
umpire) and main supervisory organ of political parties in the
country that can carry out any investigation into any party’s
financial activities, not the EFCC.”

The group said the federal government had devised a plan to
clamp down on PDP members.

“This, as far as we are concerned, is the party’s internal
affair. The jurisdiction of the EFCC does not extend to
investigating internal party wrangling. The EFCC is therefore
acting outside its powers by inviting the above named persons,” it
said.

“One of the points raised by the EFCC is that they want to
verify the proceeds from the sale of forms. It is unheard of and
laughable that the EFCC seeks to turn itself into the de facto
auditor of the PDP,” the statement further read.

The group argued that it was obvious that the EFCC had lost
focus.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youths Frontier has
slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for inviting
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials to explain how N10billion
was allegedly diverted.

The National Coordinator of the group, Austin Okai, said in a
statement yesterday that only the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) had the legal right to probe a political party’s
finances.

The statement read in part, “It is the only INEC (the electoral
umpire) and main supervisory organ of political parties in the
country that can carry out any investigation into any party’s
financial activities, not the EFCC.”

The group said the federal government had devised a plan to
clamp down on PDP members.

“This, as far as we are concerned, is the party’s internal
affair. The jurisdiction of the EFCC does not extend to
investigating internal party wrangling. The EFCC is therefore
acting outside its powers by inviting the above named persons,” it
said.

“One of the points raised by the EFCC is that they want to
verify the proceeds from the sale of forms. It is unheard of and
laughable that the EFCC seeks to turn itself into the de facto
auditor of the PDP,” the statement further read.

The group argued that it was obvious that the EFCC had lost
focus.