The arrest, today, of the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Gambo Sallau, other principal officers and Clerk of the House by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been linked to their recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It is Chrystal clear that the above mentioned public officials were arrested by the EFCC on the orders from the above, because of the legislators’ defection to APC, in support of Governor Kwankwaso,” state Governor, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, said while addressing newsmen this evening at the Government House, Kano.

“This action is obviously to intimidate and cow them into submission for choosing to move to the progressive fold. This action is not only despicable and absurd but also capable of igniting crisis in the polity, thereby breaching the relative peace that is being enjoyed in Kano state,” the governor added.

Kwankwaso said that the public officials were apparently arrested in connection with the budget amendment of 2013 of the State Government, which has already been signed into law by him. He observed that the Speaker and his colleagues are only exercising their constitutional responsibilities of ensuring that budgets are properly articulated, to ensure probity and accountability in public expenditure, so that in the end, the citizens enjoy dividends of democracy.

The governor, it is regrettable that the EFCC is allowing itself to be a tool of witch-hunt in the hands of powers that be.

Arrested alongside the Speaker, Alh. Gambo Sallau, are the Deputy Speaker, Isyaku Ali Danja, the Chief Whip, the Deputy Chief Whip, Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader.

The rest are the Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Chairman House Committee on Finance and Clerk of the House.

•Photo shows Governor Kwankwaso addressing the media . . . this evening in Kano.