The Zamfara State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an apology from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over what it described as a “fake story” posted on the EFCC’s Instagram handle and later deleted. The EFCC had reportedly posted a story associating Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, with a former Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on a $9 billion corruption scandal.
The PDP expressed disapproval of the EFCC’s actions and demanded a prompt disclaimer and apology for misleading the public. The party clarified that Governor Dauda Lawal was acquitted of all corruption charges by Nigeria’s Supreme Court on March 12, 2021. The Supreme Court had dismissed the EFCC’s appeal against Governor Lawal and ordered the release of the N9,080,000,000 seized from him.
The PDP accused the EFCC of allowing fake news to be published on its platform and emphasized that pulling down the fake story is not sufficient. The party called for a disclaimer and a prompt apology from the anti-corruption body for what it deemed “avoidable and costly unprofessionalism.” The PDP highlighted the Supreme Court’s judgment that conclusively brought an end to what it described as the “malicious persecution” of Governor Dauda Lawal by the EFCC.
