The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has urged the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption to thoroughly investigate circumstances surrounding the arrest and release of the Innoson Motors boss, Dr Innocent Chukwuma by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that needed investors were not scared away by the activities of the ant-graft agency.
CNPP in its reaction to the controversial arrest also through a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, urged the Senate to ensure that the Acting EFCC chairman, was appropriately sanctioned if it was found that the Commission colluded with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in the saga.
“If indeed the EFCC was being used by Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) to unduly intimidate and oppress a man that have single handedly created over 50, 000 jobes at a time many citizens are jobless, the the commission should be severely sanctioned to send a strong signal to the international that Nigeria is not a lawless society.
“Nowhere in the world does any anti-graft agency meddle into a mere business transaction between two parties, especially when the matter is in court.
“It will be unfortunate if the EFCC didn’t take cognisance of the fact that the GTB commercial dispute with the Innoson Group is at the Supreme Court.
“We wonder the kind of image the anti-corruption agency is trying to give the world about Nigeria; a land where might is right?
“For us at the CNPP a man like Dr Innocent Chukwuma should be jealously protected by the Federal Government of Nigeria for pioneering indigenous motor manufacturing company in the country.
“No country exposes its industrial leaders to ridicule, not at a time the country is struggling to fully come out of recession.
“Another twist to the controversy is the claim by the EFCC that Dr Chukwuma was involved in forgery of documents.
“For the EFCC to say that Innoson Group forged a waiver document is most ridiculous. This is more so as the pioneer indigenous vehicle assembly in the country deserves automatic waiver.
“If traders can get Federal Government waiver, should an entrepreneur like Dr Innocent Chukwuma not be given a special waiver to encourage him to manufacture vehicles for export to earn foreign exchange for the country?
“We therefore charge the Senate to get to the root of the matter and get the EFCC to disclose the documents that were forged and the identify who petitioned the Commission on the matter.
“This is important to ensure that the EFCC does not begin to cover up its excesses and disregard by use of trumped up allegations to justify it tyranny against law abiding citizens.
“If the commission is not checked, it will be a judge in its own case and the society will suffer for it”, the CNPP stated.
