The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, has denied that its new national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The party, however, admitted that “Mu’azu, at the end of his tenure as Bauchi State governor, was, like many other governors who were leaving office, invited by the EFCC, “adding “This was to respond to some petitions. But Mu’azu was never invited again by the EFCC on any other issue.”

In a statement issued on Sunday by its national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, the PDP said reports that Mu’azu is being investigated for misappropriating N19.8 billion at the end of his eight-year tenure in 2008 by the EFCC, are mischievous and calculated to mislead the public.

“They are completely false and baseless,” it said.

According to Metuh, the reports were part of a scheme by PDP’s opponents to distract its national chairman from his determination and commitment to rebuild and reposition the party as the paramount party in Nigeria.

“The succeeding government, elected on the platform of the defunct ANPP in 2007, instituted a Panel of Inquiry. The panel went ahead to issue a White Paper against Mu’azu in spite of the fact that he did not appear before it.

“In the exercise of his lawful rights, Mu’azu challenged the entirety of the White Paper in suit no BA/295m/2009 at the Bauchi State High Court, No. 1.

“The suit was heard by no other judge than the Chief Judge of Bauchi State, Justice Mohammed Zango who, after hearing all the arguments, set aside the whole findings and quashed it into the dustbin of history.

“Consequently, Mu’azu remains cleared of all allegations as contained in the said White Paper,” the PDP national publicity secretary said.

He said it was therefore highly misleading for any person to make statements or sponsor publications purporting that Mu’azu was under investigation or any form of trial whatsoever.

Metuh urged those behind the statements and publications to desist from such and to bear in mind that there was divine judgment for those who bear false witness against the innocent.

He said Mu’azu was duly appointed as the PDP national chairman and was totally committed to performing his duties, irrespective of attempts from any quarter to distract him.