- Safiu Kehinde
The 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has faulted the police arrest of the father of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
NPO Reported that security operatives attached to the Oyo Police Command, had yesterday stormed the family house of Adeniyi in Ogbomoso where they arrested his father and a friend who came to greet the elderly man.
The development came under the heels of the ongoing corruption scandal surrounding the establishment of the agency disowned by the Presidency.
Also involved in the scandal is the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was Adeniyi accused of demanding a share of the take-off grant awarded to the agency while also collecting N400 million bribe.
While Gbajabiamila had since denied the allegation and claimed that there is no tie between his office and the agency, the COS had since dragged the self-acclaimed council boss to court.
However, the arrest of Adeniyi’s father had sparked mixed reactions with several opposition figures faulting the development.
Joining the descent voice in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, Atiku condemned the arrest of the elderly man.
The former Vice President such substituted arrest has no provision in the law, describing it as an abuse of power.
“Arresting the father of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man at centre of the #GbajaGate scandal is absolute nonsense and condemned.
“There is no provision in our laws for substituted arrest, an arrest of a family member, friend or associate of a suspect with no connection whatsoever to the alleged crime.
“What has the father of the man the Presidency claims to be a “phantom” DG and agency got to do with it? It is an overeach, an abuse of power.” He said.
Atiku further questioned how Adeyemi escaped arrest while demanding immediate release of the elderly man.
“Why did they allow Prince Adeyemi to sneak away and are now fledgling their powers by arresting the father in his stead.
“Trust the Tinubu-led APC administration, they’re always majoring in minors. The poor man should be released immediately!” He added.