Hot SourceChuks Okocha in Abuja
The immediate past Governor of Sokoto State and serving Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has vowed that neither the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) nor any political force can intimidate him to abandon his ideals.
Following his release on bail from the EFCC’s custody, Tambuwal, who represents Sokoto South, maintained that no amount of intimidation nor blackmail from agencies of government would silence him going forward.
The anti-corruption agency had quizzed Tambuwal and detained him for about 24 hours over alleged N189bn fraud but he later breathed the air of freedom through an administrative bail.
After returning to a hero’s welcome from thousands of supporters in Sokoto, the former governor addressed the cheering crowd at his residence, pledging to continue the fight for “equitable and democratic governance” in the state.
Speaking on what he termed a “brief visit” to the EFCC, Tambuwal said he voluntarily honoured the invitation extended to him by going to the anti-graft agency office on August 6.
He said after the initial rounds of questioning, the EFCC officials allowed him to return home but requested his presence on August 10 and 11 for further interrogation.
According to him, after hours of questioning during the follow-up visit, his request to return home again was refused by the EFCC officials, who demanded two sureties, specifically directors in the Federal Civil Service with letters of introduction from their employers, before he could be released.
“I told them to go back and tell the Chairman of the EFCC that I am a former Speaker of the House of Representatives with an unblemished record, a two-term Governor of Sokoto State, a serving Senator, and a Commander of the Order of the Niger. I should be allowed to go on self-recognition,” Tambuwal said.
He stated that despite appeals from his legal team, which included three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), the EFCC operatives refused to vary the bail conditions.
As a result, he was detained overnight before being released the following morning after meeting the bail terms.
Tambuwal, while querying the timing of the EFCC’s actions, and linking them to a broader political plot, said, “Why now?”
He said the current Sokoto State administration had earlier set up what he described as a “kangaroo commission of inquiry” to probe his tenure, which he believed was politically motivated.
The former governor argued that these events were part of efforts to discredit him and silence dissenting voices critical of the federal government under President Bola Tinubu.
The lawmaker said, “In Nigeria today, there are two lines: those with Bola Tinubu and his government, and those with the people of Nigeria. We chose to stand with the people.”
Furthermore, he slammed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for deploying underhand tactics against political opponents, while referencing a common political cliché: “Once you join the APC, whatever your sins, they are forgiven.”
Vowing to remain steadfast with the coalition for national rescue, Tambuwal said, “I cannot be intimidated. I cannot be blackmailed. No one can tarnish my record.”
On whether current developments may affect his association with the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), he laughed off insinuations of likely political realignment with the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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