“It is meant to destroy the existence of PDP. The persecution of the former NSA, the persecution of the National Publicity Secretary, the persecution of Chairman of Board of Trustees, will fail when we begin defence,” – Dokpesi [above photo]
High Chief Raymond Dokpesi has described the current ongoing $2.1 billion arms deal trial instituted against him and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] as a mere hoax.
Dokpesi made the statement just as the EFCC boss says more influential Nigerians would soon be arrested to face prosecution over corruption.
He further described it as an imaginative creation of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to witch-hunt and decimate the leadership and membership of the PDP.
Dokpesi who was accused of complicity in the diversion of some $2.1 billion arms deal fraud had been arraigned on a six-count charge of money laundering and misappropriation of public funds among others.
Dokpesi, who spoke during his investiture as ‘Freedom Fighter of PDP,’ yesterday expressed confidence that the courts would sooner or later prove that “this coinage is nothing but a hoax.”
Dokpesi said the much-flaunted $2.1 billion arms funds scam was not only a figment of the imagination of the Federal Government, but was aimed at destroying PDP.
“I must hasten to assure you that there is nothing like the much-flaunted 2.1 billion USD arms gate. The competent courts of our land would sooner or later prove this coinage aimed at decimating the leadership and membership of our great party to be nothing but a hoax.
“It is meant to destroy the existence of PDP. The persecution of the former National Security Adviser, the persecution of the National Publicity Secretary, the persecution of our Chairman of Board of Trustees, will fail when we begin defence,” he assured.
He, however, said he would not make any comment regarding the several matters filed before the courts against him and other members of PDP “as doing so would be subjudice.”
Referring to the clampdown on Second Republic politicians when President Muhammadu Buhari was Military Head of State in 1983, Dokpesi said Nigerians “are reminded of the events of 1984/85 which by any stretch of comparison are similar to the events of today.”
The National Coordinator of PDP Youth Vanguard, Ibrahim Bala Aboki, who condemned the witch-hunt of PDP members by the ruling party, decried the Federal Government’s selective anti-corruption war and continuous arrest of PDP members by the anti-corruption agency.
The group had staged a protest at the PDP National Secretariat where it called for the immediate release of the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, on Wednesday, said that more influential Nigerians would soon be arrested to face prosecution.
Mr. Magu said the EFCC under him has reinvigorated the fight against corruption in Nigeria. He made the disclosure during a forum with online and broadcast media managers, in Abuja.
He said that since his appointment as acting chairman of the EFCC, he had undertaken the re-ordering of the agency’s priorities for effective implementation of its mandate.
According to him, “more influential Nigerians are on the radar of the EFCC and, in the coming weeks, they would have their days in court and Nigerians will be kept fully abreast of the results of the Commission’s investigations”.