No need to fret if you have no skeleton in your cupboard, EFCC tells Saraki

• Frank berates agency over move to probe him
• Magu is your weakest link, group advises Buhari
• Says chase after Senate President is ungodly

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has advised Senate President Bukola Saraki to remain resolute if he has no skeleton in his cupboard.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement yesterday in Abuja by its Acting Spokesperson, Tony Orilade, noted that the commission has a sacred mandate to rid the country of corruption and corrupt elements and restates its unflinching resolve to achieve this no matter whose ox is gored.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC is obligated by law to enthrone probity and accountability in the governance space and has supremely pursued this duty without ill-will or malice against anyone.

“It is in the interest of the public, and for Saraki’s personal good, that he is not only above board, but be seen at all times to be so,” the statement said.

However, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has condemned in strong terms the renewed move by the EFCC to probe Saraki.

Frank, in a statement, described the move by the commission to beam its searchlights on the tenure of Saraki as Kwara State governor as a clear case of witch-hunt that will collapse at the end of the day.

He said it was unfortunate that the EFCC has chosen to dissipate its energies on Saraki over frivolous allegations.

Meanwhile, a pro-democracy group, the Advocates for New Nigeria (TANN), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to, in nation’s interest, call the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, to order because he has ceased to be professional by chasing after perceived enemies and has thus become his weakest link in the realisation of the anti-graft war.

The group, in a statement by its National President, Abdulrahman Mohammed Abdul-Aziz, stated that “Magu’s obviously bitter chase after the outgoing President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is worthy of concern for everyone who can see the pattern and where it could lead the nation.

“An adage in Yoruba says when you chase after a man unsuccessfully, wisdom presupposes that you cease to chase after such a person and instead, retreat tactically for a review of strategy. Unfortunately, the EFCC is not guided by this age-old wisdom.

“The commission is asking for probe into Saraki’s salaries, emoluments, estacodes and other payments while he was in office as governor between 2003 and 2011 – eight years after he’s left office – for what? Is Saraki the only one who finished within the period? Why single out the man for no reason in the name of doing what investigation?

“This is particularly curious when indeed there are governors, who just finished from office a few months ago with a legion of petitions already in their trail.

“If Magu is bitter about his non-confirmation as EFCC chair by the Senate, he knows where to direct his negative energy to – the DSS – which wrote two different reports at two different times, asking the Senate not to confirm Magu,” the group said.