Arms scandal: Metuh denies EFCC invitation, berates ‘media trials’

National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has said he has yet to be invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Metuh is alleged to be under investigation for allegedly collecting about N400m from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sabo Dasuki (rtd).
Metuh who gas admitted collecting an undisclosed sum of money from former President Goodluck Jonathan, however, said he got the amount from carrying out unspecific work as the spokesperson for the PDP for the former President.
Metuh, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant, Mr. Richard Ihediwa in Abuja on Monday, said he was being tried by the media.
Rather than being invited, he said he had been reading it in the newspapers about the alleged crime he was being investigated for.
He wondered why he would be reading about his impending questioning on the pages of newspapers.
The statement said, “This office wishes to state categorically that the EFCC has never invited the National Publicity Secretary nor questioned him on any matter whatsoever since its inception.
“If indeed, the report (about his investigation) is from the EFCC, then they should note that only in a period of tyranny are people investigated on the pages of the newspapers as a prelude for abuse and violation of their freedom and rights under the law.
“It is instructive to observe that a mere media campaign of calumny does not in any way whatsoever translate to any evidence of guilt.
“It is rather an evidence of infringement on the rights of the citizenry and manifestation of the reign of tyranny.”
Metuh said that in a democratic and civilized country, where there are issues that require investigations by such agencies, invitations are duly extended to those concerned.
However, he said it was sad to read daily of people being investigated in select newspapers.
This, he added, betrayed plots to portray them as guilty of fraud and crime, and targeted to convey the PDP as a corrupt party and the All Progressives Congress as party of Nigerians without sin.
He added that, “If we now have a system where citizens get to be investigated, tried and executed by planting stories in select newspapers, wherein then lies the need for our judicial process?
“Finally, we do hope that all concerned will be guided by due process at all times.”