A former governorship candidate of Peoples Progressives Alliance in Cross River State, Mr Goddie Akpama, has been arrested under controversial circumstances.
The arrest of Akpama who was also chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, happened at about 5pm on Thursday.
Policemen had invaded the Chinese Restaurant Calabar, venue of a news conference, he was to address.
Akpama, a lead convener of The National Movement for Defence of Democracy and Good Governance, was to impress on President Bola Tinubu to suspend the Defence minister, Mr Bello Matawalle, for alleged misappropriation of over N70 billion when he was governor of Zamfara State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had levelled the allegation against Akpama.
Policemen had arrived the scene just before the commencement of the news event and ordered that the programme be called off while Akpama was whisked off to State Housing Estate Police division, Calabar.
The group in their prepared statement expressed worry that the minister was facing money laundering allegations to the tune of N70 billion without being probed, unlike his counterpart in the ministry of humanitarian affairs, Dr Betta Edu, who was suspended over N585 million allegation.
It called on President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate that the government was not one-sided.
Part of their statement reads, “We assert our collective demand for justice and equity within the political sphere. We express profound concern regarding the discernible bias in dispensing justice and the evident gender disparities prevailing in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“While we commend the expeditious actions taken against Dr. Betta Edu, we are confounded by the continued tenure of Minister Bello Matawalle, who is facing staggering money laundering allegations exceeding N70 billion, without undergoing the requisite investigations.”