The anti-graft agency explained that its operatives had to arrest the former Speaker ahead of today’s date he gave to surrender himself because he was discovered to be plotting other schemes to thwart his voluntary surrender or arrest on Monday. But reacting to the arrest last night, Bankole’s media aide, Mr. Ebomhiana Musa, accused the EFCC of prosecuting a hidden agenda.
According to him: “It goes beyond investigation. They are out to execute an agenda, which is yet unknown. They want to prevent him from handing over. He had said he would honour the EFCC invitation on Monday (today), but they arrested him on Sunday (yesterday).”
The Commmision in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi said: “The EFCC Chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri was compelled to order the immediate arrest of Mr. Bankole after analyzing an intelligence report which showed that the former Speaker was planning to leave Abuja for Lagos on Sunday evening and thereafter flee the country through an illegal route.”
Mr. Musa who spoke with Daily Sun on phone from Abuja said Bankole was not arrested, but abducted.
“To us, it an abduction. There’s an agreeent between the Speaker’s office and EFCC that he’ll honour the invitation after handing over.” He also debunked the claim by the EFCC that Bankole was plotting to thwart the ‘agreement’ to voluntarily surrender to the EFCC.
“It shows EFCC’s surveilance is weak. Otherwise, they should have placed him on watch, instead of abducting him like a common criminal for an offence, which he didn’t commit.” Mr Bankole had twice shunned two invitations extended to him in the last two weeks by the EFCC, an impunity that climaxed last Friday when he resisted attempts by operatives to arrest him in his Asokoro, Abuja residence. The EFCC operatives had to be withdrawn after over five hours stand-off after a commitment from Mr Bankole that he was going to surrender himself on Monday.
“While our men kept surveillance around the former speaker hoping he will honour his promise to report on Monday, a fresh intelligence gathered by the Commission showed that Mr Bankole was not ready to keep his promise but was rather planning other schemes to escape from the country through an illegal route or obtain a restraining court order early on Monday to prevent the Commission from effecting his arrest or prosecution”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the former Speaker would remain in custody to enable him have sufficient time to answer questions on the numerous fraud allegations against him. The Speaker was invited by the EFCC over a petition on the N10billion naira loan brought before it by some aggrieved members of the House. At press timew last night, no fewer than 20 Reps member were at the gate of the EFCC but were prevented from seeing the embattled Bankole.
The N10 billion naira loan was blown open by Kogi-born member of the House, Mr. Dino Malaye, who is the leader of the “Progressives”, a group of 11 lawmakers who were suspended over a face -off with the House leadership; before the Court reinstated them.
Speaking during a plenary session of the House, Malaye had informed his colleagues that the speaker secured the loan from a commercial bank. At an executive session of the House, Speaker Bankole reportedly owned up to the N10bn loan on behalf of the House. Sources said the controversial loan has made it impossible for members of the “Progressives” to get their allowances, which was withheld while they were on suspension. The commercial bank is tying the release of the money for the payment of the lawmakers’ allowances to the repayment of the controversial loan.
The loan was taken pursuant to an Executive Session decision of the House on Tuesday March 30, 2010 where the report of a 37 member Committee set up on March 25, 2010 to look into agitation of member for enhancement of running costs of members was reported by Hon. Independence Ogunewe. The report was approved by the House in executive Session of March 30 2010.
The loan was reportedly distributed among principal officers and members of the House.
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