PDP, APC Clash for the arrest of EFCC for 15 former members of the highlands parliament

Tensions flared up in the State of the highlands on Thursday when the Democratic Party (PDP) of the People’s (PDP) and the Progressive Congress (APC) traded words after the arrest of 15 former members of the State Council of the Assembly by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Among those arrested were former speakers, Musa Thomas Sule, along with 14 other former lawmakers who now served as liaison officers for Governor Caleb Mutfwang in various electoral districts.

EFCC arrested the group on June 17, 2025, on charges of money laundering, procurement violations, and abuse of positions, citing violations of money laundering law (prevention and prohibition), 2022.

Other former legislators who were arrested include Gwlottson Fom, Sani Abubakar, Philip Gwom, Timothy Dantong, Happiness Mathew Akawu, Cornelius Dotyok, Agbalak Ibrahim, Laur Azi, Fwangje Bala, Salome Taniru Wanglet, Namba Rimu, Namba Rimu, Salome Tanimu, Namba Datu.

In a statement that was written issued on Thursday, PDP condemned the arrest, accusing that they were politically motivated and regulated by APC leaders in the state. The Secretary of the PDP State Publicity, Jonathan Amande, described the arrest as a calculated effort to intimidate opposition figures and disrupt the administration led by the PDP ahead of the 2027 election.

“The Democratic Party of the people built with the trend of the arrest of former speakers of the State Assembly of the highlands and 14 others, which was designed by several progressive congress leaders in the state for cheap political benefits,” said Amande.

“The party leaders use anti-corruption institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crime Commission as a tool to target and intimidate PDP members ahead of the 2027 election.”

He accused EFCC of being used to “hunt for political wizards,” paradise PDP members “like ordinary thieves,” rather than focusing on original corruption cases. Amande also noted that despite inheriting the “chaos” of APC’s eight -year rule, the PDP government had refrained from political revenge.

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“The use of EFCC as a hunting for political wizards designed to hamper differences of opinion and suppress the voices of opposition in this country will be more dangerous than good,” he added.

Referring to PDP’s commitment to democratic principles, Amande urged the Nigerians to be aware of all efforts to manipulate state institutions for political benefits.

“The misuse of institutions -institutions such as EFCC threatens the process of fundamental democracy and human rights. PDP remains committed to opposing any actions that damage the principles of democracy in Nigeria,” he said.

In a quick reaction, APC State Chairman Rufus Bature rejected PDP claims as baseless and baseless. He insisted that his party was not involved in the arrest and accused the PDP of trying to distract from the legal problems faced by its members.

“The accusation of us by PDP for the arrest of former parliament members is the figment of their imagination. Nobody has ever discussed anything about former members of the State Council,” Bature said.

“As far as APC is in Plateau State, we don’t know anything about their arrest. EFCC does its routine work and we cannot interfere with their work.”

Because both parties continue to exchange accusations, development further increases political tension in the state of Plateau, by observers calling for transparency and impartial in the ongoing EFCC investigation.