The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last Osun State election, Senator Iyiola Omisore was on the morning of Sunday, July 3, 2016 arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Last week, The Trent exposed the EFCC plot to capture Omisore by all means necessary during the weekend. A source familiar with the development told our reporter on Friday, June 24, 2016 that the EFCC was in its “highest gear” to arrest the PDP stalwart, who ran for the governorship of Osun State against incumbent, Rauf Aregbesola in the last election.
Omisore was still being held in one of the EFCC interrogation centres in Abuja as at the time of filing this report.
The EFCC has been pointing fingers at Dr. Omisore for some time, presumably over the alleged Colonel Sambo Dasuki $2.1 billion arms fund which is now tagged #DasukiGate. Several opposition figures in the country have been arrested and detained by the EFCC under the cover of #DasukiGate.
Our findings reveal that the EFCC is under instruction from leaders of the ruling political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to clamp down on key leaders of the main opposition party, PDP on trumped up charges.
Omisore is one of the chieftains of the PDP that have been targeted for arrest, despite a court order restraining the EFCC from arresting him over a matter that is already the subject of litigation before a court of law, a source close to Omisore told our reporter.
This week, Ekiti Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose revealed that the EFCC had frozen his account flouting his immunity guaranteed by the constitution of Nigeria. The EFCC has also detained several persons linked to the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and consistently disobeyed court orders.
“This plan, which has been put in motion to pick up Dr. Omisore is geared at retaining Osun State by all means in 2018. The APC leaders in the state know that with Aregbesola’s divisiveness and misrule, the APC is a goner. So they are plotting to silence the opposition. It is unfortunate that the EFCC is allowing itself to be used as henchmen of the current fascist government,” our source, who did not wish to be named, said.
When contacted, Iyiola Omisore maintained that why the EFCC may be taking such action against him is because he went on national television station, AIT and exposed the “killer democracy” that General Muhammadu Buhari has introduced into Nigeria.
“It is because I was on AIT On Thursday, where I alerted Nigerians of the abuse of human rights and utter disrespect for the rule of law by the Buhari regime. I exposed the killer democracy that is being practised in this country, the illegal arrests, back-door detention warrants, and the general tyranny,” Omisore said in response to The Trent’s enquiries.
“I want to assure Nigerians, especially the suffering masses of Osun State that I won’t abandon them even in the face of persecution. I didn’t take any money from Dasuki. EFCC needs to go search for crooks, election riggers, and government money embezzlers in its party, the APC,” Omisore declared.
EFCC vs Omisore
For over a month, Omisore and the EFCC have been trading accusations and counter- accusations over invitation to account for over N1.3 billion allegedly traced to him from the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) under Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
Omisore was declared wanted by EFCC after investigation of the fund used for the Ekiti State governorship poll exposed his involvement in the movement of money from the ONSA through him and former minister of state for defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
According to records of the investigators, the sum of N1.3 billion was traced to companies where Omisore had substantial interests.
By declaring him wanted, Omisore went public lambasting the anti-graft agency. He said EFCC had become a tool the Buhari government was using to muzzle opposition.
In a statement, Omisore noted that the purported report declaring him wanted was an attempt by the EFCC and its leadership to tarnish his image.
“That statement, if indeed it was issued by the EFCC, is the height of mischief and a deliberate attempt to assassinate my character. It is now very clear that the EFCC is indeed playing out the script of persecuting and harassing perceived opposition groups in the country.
“To be sure, there is no basis for the EFCC so-called statement. Only on Tuesday, May 24, we appeared in court with the EFCC asking for the permission of the court for an extension of time in the preliminary objection to a suit filed against me,” he stated.
Defending himself in the statement, the former deputy governor of Osun State declared that the managing director of Firmex Gill which the EFCC joined in their case indemnified him from the company’s contracts and any such obligations.
“In other words, there is nothing relating to me in the company’s contract deal with the office of the national security adviser, ONSA. The company has even sued the ONSA for its inability to pay the balance of the contract so awarded to it.
“Therefore, I am not aware of any issue relating to a contract sum of N700 million. There was no issue of N700 million anywhere,” he said.
Additional reports from The Sun, News Express
