Daniel Should Be Prosecuted If Found Guilty -Ogun PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in Ogun state,  has opened up on
the ongoing  trial of the former Governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, saying that he should be prosecuted if he is found guilty of
the charges against him.

The party, which had no made any statement since Daniel was arrested by the officials of the  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
this afternoon broke its silence, describing it  as an allegation that needed to be proved.

The secretary of the party in the state,  Akogun Adepegba  Otemolu,
who spoke  with   journalists  in his office in Abeokuta, cautioned the officials of the EFCC  on what he called media interference in the matter, saying that the commission should not give an impression that an accused  person is  guilty once he has not  been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Daniel is facing  a 16-count charge  for   alleged stealing, fraudulent diversion of public funds and failure to dislose his assets while he held sway as governor of the state between May 2003 and May 2011 before he was arrested by the anti-graft agency on 6 October, 2011 and was granted bail on Friday 14 October, 2011.

According to Otemolu, “it  is an allegation that has not been proved.
But, if  it is  proved and investigated to be fraudulent, nobody can assist him. Since, it is an allegation, we will wait until it is proved.”

While cautioning the approach adopted by the EFCC in the prosecution of  its case, the party scribe said,   “EFCC can investigate anybody, but they still have to let our` people know  that  once somebody  is invited by EFCC, you don’t just  start  accusing  the person  or making people have the belief that such a`  person has committed the
offence alleged.

“So, if anybody goes about saying that OGD has been arrested and he is being tried for fraud and embezzlement, this and that, there is freedom of speech, but we have to be very careful. The information you want to give should not  be destructive.

“ As far as   I am concerned, EFCC can arrest anybody, if  the person is proved  to be innocent, he  should be freed, and if he is guilty he should be prosecuted,” he submited.

While speaking on some of  the recent judgements at the tribunal which did not favour  his party, the former council boss said: “the party has nothing against whatever is the pronouncement. We don’t believe in saying judiciary is good when it favours us and  is bad when it does not favour us.
 
“Blessed be the judgement pronounced by the judiciary.  We
are free to  appeal, but,  I  don’t  know whether the leadership will
still go ahead to appeal but the party is free to appeal.”

He assessed the Action Congress of Nigeria-led  government, describing  the performance   as below the standard.

Otemolu said: “if governor Amosun announces local government
election today, he will be shooting himself in the leg, because PDP is
now waxing stronger by virtue of his inability to  govern people well.
“ He is the  governor, if he has been doing well, I would not be
saying this. That is why I said , a minus for the ruling party,  is a
plus for PDP. And I can assure you that, presently, if any election is
held  in local governments, PDP will have nothing less than 80 percent victory.”

By Abiodun Onafuye, Abeokuta.