The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has detained a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wale Akinterinwa.
He has reportedly been in EFCC custody since Thursday, April 18, a few days to the APC governorship primary in Ondo State
He is said to be detained in relation to the ongoing investigation into his time as the former Commissioner for Finance during ex-governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration.
Akinterinwa was a commissioner for more than seven years until the State Executive Council was disbanded by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who succeeded the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Though Akinterinwa took part in the weekend direct primary while in custody, the EFCC stated that it was up to it when to place Akinterinwa under arrest.
Sources claim that Akinterinwa was “allegedly too busy” to accept an invitation from the anti-graft commission a few weeks prior to the election. He appeared at the anti-graft commission’s office on Thursday.
It was discovered that the EFCC made the decision to keep quiet about the incarceration so as not to damage Akinterinwa’s prospects of winning the APC primary.
A source, who spoke to The Nation about the development said: “In the past few weeks, the EFCC invited Akinterinwa for interrogation on the red flag on some issues during his tenure as Commissioner for Finance. But he has not been forthcoming.
“The commission had the option to declare him wanted, but it exercised restrained to avoid being dragged into politics because he was an aspirant for the APC governorship primary.
“But Akinterinwa voluntarily reported to the EFCC in Abuja. He was taken into custody for quizzing.”
The source speaking yesterday, said: “Akinterinwa is still in our custody. We did not arrest or pick him up, but he came up to respond to our long overdue invitation. I can tell you that his detention has no political undertone.”
However, reacting, the former Commissioner during a radio programme in Akure on Monday said the news came to him like a suprise to him, stating that he was not in EFCC custody.
He asserted that the stories were planted by those who saw him as a threat to their own existence and vision.
He said; “It came to me like a surprise myself, I am not in EFCC custody but I believe that those stories have been planted by those who see me as a threat to their own existence and vision. Because it’s absurd to say I am in EFCC custody for the past 5 or 6 days. When in actual fact I have been in Akure preparing for the election that was meant to hold but never took place on Saturday. As we speak, I am in my house.”
“I was surprised to read it on the front of a newspaper today that I am in EFCC custody, I will just say that some people are afraid of my brand and they will not stop at anything to ensure that they destroy that brand. But it will not happen by the grace of God,” he added.
