Erstwhile Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has decried that despite meeting the bail conditions set by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he is was still being held by the anti-graft agency.
Femi Fani-Kayode
Femi Fani-Kayode's spokesman, Jude Ndukwe, has confirmed to a
Punch correspondent that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized the passport belonging to the ex-director of PDP presidential campaign.
Ndukwe who disclosed that Fani-Kayode have submitted his passport to the anti-graft agency as part of his bail conditions, said the EFCC had refused to release the ex-minister despite meeting up with the bail conditions.
"The EFCC gave him two bail conditions. The first condition was that he would hand over his passport while the second condition was for him to provide two sureties. The two sureties must be at least directors in the civil service and must have properties in AMAC (Abuja Municipal Area Council). Five days after meeting the conditions, the EFCC has refused to release him," he said.
Femi Fani-Kayode who served as the Director of Publicity of the Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election, was arrested on Monday last week for receiving N840million.
The money, which Fani-Kayode admitted to receiving, was said to have emanated from the account of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The ex-minister had, however, insisted that he did not know that the money emanated from the CBN because he was assured by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party that the money was sourced from private individuals.
Ndukwe in a statement released on Wednesday, condemned the continued detention of Fani-Kayode, describing it as a tactics to keeping key and vocal members of the opposition out of circulation without due regard to Nigerian laws.
"This tactics of keeping key and vocal members of the opposition out of circulation without due regard to our laws and or harass them with charges that cannot stand the test of judicial requirements has got to stop. The sweet smelling savour of democracy will be polluted when the opposition is stifled.
"The continued detention of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode in EFCC custody for this long, despite meeting his bail conditions goes a long way to show that this fight is not about corruption after all, but all about silencing the opposition.
"We condemn in very strong terms these acts of intimidation and harassment and request that he (Chief Fani-Kayode) be released forthwith, even as we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to know who to hold responsible should anything untoward happen to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode!
"This act of executive rascality, at a time when Nigerians are groaning more than ever before over the economic hardship inflicted on them by this administration, is needless. It will achieve nothing but will only lead to a puerile end," the statement read.