A former national publicity secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has said that he will not dump the party, despite what he called renewed persecution against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through media trials.
Metuh who lambasted the EFCC for embarking on “fruitless media trial and attempts to keep his name burning on a non-existent case,” said the fresh attempt to “push a non-existent case” against him was on the heels of his firm resistance to overtures, calls and entreaties to leave the PDP.
The former PDP spokesman, in a statement he personally signed, accused the EFCC of resorting to sponsoring cheap publications in some section of the media “in a renewed bid to again manipulate the narrative and derail the course of justice to achieve a predetermined end in my matter.”
He added, “It is instructive that this renewed attempt to push a non-existent case, which is a plan to label me and destroy my political career, is coming on the heels of my firm resistance to overtures, calls and entreaties to leave my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The truth is that immediately after the landmark court of appeal judgement, the EFCC rushed to the supreme Court, in their usual territorial swagger, only to have their appeal dismissed. Why did the EFCC not inform the public of the dismissal of their appeal at the Supreme Court before sponsoring a publication to promote this retrial narrative even when they are very much aware that I have my own appeal currently pending before the Supreme Court?
“For the avoidance of doubt, I will never again succumb to the media trial of the EFCC or allow myself be continuously used as a prosecutorial guinea pig in order to threaten and cow other opposition politicians, especially as I am completely innocent of the charge against me.
“I restate that in spite of the the pressures, calls, overtures and invitations, I will never leave the PDP to join another party on account of threats and intimidation. I am ready to face the travails that comes with my resolve.”
Metuh added that he has no case to answer in the said matter and that nobody can use it to label and/or cow him, or attempt to limit or regulate his political career.
“I will remain active in the PDP and no form of instigated attack will make me leave my party for another one. Not at this point in our nations history.
“I am not in politics to seek power, I am not in politics to seek money, I am not in politics to seek influence. I am in politics because I strongly believe in the ideals of the founding fathers of PDP to enthrone a nation where the principles and tenets of democracy will be entrenched and the rights and liberties of Nigerians respected.
“On this, I stand and I am willing and ready to defend myself in this matter, particularly as I have no case to answer,” he said.
He counseled the EFCC not to waste its time on what he called fruitless media trial in the face of a very obvious non-existent case.
“I remain grateful to the judiciary for restoring the right to medical treatment of my choice.
“No man should ever be subjected to such abuse of his fundamental rights and face the wickedness and inhuman treatment I have been subjected to in the last six years,” he stated.
