Kogi guber: APC group asks ex-naval chief to face EFCC charges

The internal wrangling over the choice of a governorship candidate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi said continued on Thursday as a group within the party the Advocates for Integrity In Politics, (AIP) has asked a former chief of naval staff, Jubril Usman, to face the case he has with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The group said the ex-naval chief should clear his name over the case and should not discredit the party.

Jubril has been facing a N600 million fraud charges brought against him by the EFCC since 2017.

The group in a statement by its spokesperson, Adeboye Olayinka, said it was a surprise that the former Chief of Naval Staff, who was a well-known member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to have suddenly jumped ship this year to the APC to contest for the ticket of the party.

“The Former Chief of Naval Staff actually worked for PDP in the 2015 election. Though that was understandable being a service chief under a PDP government.

“But it is quite surprising to not only see him in 2019 trying to contest for governorship election under the APC in Kogi State, when in actual fact he was not only a member but a chief financier of PDP in the last general election in the state.

“We see his sudden steps in our party as an avenue to hide from prosecution. APC is not a party for those with criminal charges to hide, because one day, their deed will seek them out.

“Our party’s fortune in the election will be affected if someone who has a criminal case hanging on his neck is allowed to fly the flag. We don’t want to be seen as a party that harbour incompetence, reckless and treasure looters.

“It will be better for him to face his self-inflicted woes with EFCC instead of seeking a face-saving measure in APC which will drag the party’s name into the mud.

“The oppositions are waiting quietly for him to pick the ticket, God forbid; so as to bring out his dirty linen to the market place; at that time it will be too late and would have brought insensitivity and contempt to the values and feelings of the progressive nature our party is known for.

“How else can we justify our choice if a criminal is allowed to fly our flag. It will be reprehensible that after pushing Nigerians into believing that APC is progressive, to suddenly fall into the self-conscious mind of harbouring such elements.

“APC is a responsible party, should not be seen in such shameless dance, that gives leeways to failed, depravities and unrestrained looters of our national treasury in the last years.

“APC, should not be seen as a sanctuary of looters and unpatriotic people. We must rise to counter the lies, deceit and failures of pretenders in our party.

“These are people who wrecked our once robust economy, returned our nation to a debtor status and brought so much misery to the extent that our Soldiers resulted to run away from the battlefield”.

Jibrin is facing trial alongside Rear Admiral Bala Mshelia, Rear Admiral Shehu Ahmadu (all retired) and Habor Bay International Limited on a 4-count charge of criminal conspiracy preferred against them by the EFCC.

The naval chiefs whilst in office allegedly bought a house worth N600million from the account of Naval Engineering Services without budgetary provision.

It was also alleged that, the documentation for transfer of ownership of the property was done such that a private company owned by the family of the first defendant (Vice Admiral Jibrin) became the buyer.