Ex-minister still in detention after meeting bail conditions

The ex-minister's aide, Jude Ndukwe, condemned the continued detention of his boss, describing the EFCC and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as "dictatorial, vengeful and vindictive".

"This tactic of keeping key and vocal members of the opposition out of circulation without due regard to our laws and harass them with charges that cannot stand the test of judicial requirements has got to stop. The sweet smelling savour of democracy will be polluted when the opposition is stifled," Ndukwe said in a statement issued on Tuesday, May 17.

"The continued holding of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode in EFCC custody for this long despite meeting his bail conditions goes a long way to show that this fight is not about corruption after all but all about silencing the opposition.

"We condemn in very strong terms these acts of intimidation and harassment and request that he be released forthwith even as we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to know who to hold responsible should anything untoward happen to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode!

"This act of executive rascality, at a time when Nigerians are groaning more than ever before over the economic hardship inflicted on them by this administration, is needless. It will achieve nothing but will only lead to a puerile end," he said.

READ: ‘I never knowingly spent government money,’ Fani-Kayode says

Fani-Kayode, who was the spokesperson for the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential campaign organisation in 2015, was arrested for allegedly receiving N840million from the Director of Finance of the campaign organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman.

The money was said to have emanated from the account of the embattled National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.