By Taiye Agbaje
A group of Kogi indigenes, on Friday, described the immediate-past Governor, Mr Yahaya Bello, as a transformational leader.
The group, under the auspices of Kogi Collective Interest Group (KOCIG), stated this in a statement signed by its chairman, Abdulganiyu Yusuf, in Abuja.
The group’s statement was in reaction to a protest staged by a group of people at the EFCC’s Abuja office against the former governor and the state government.
Yusuf said the public should beware of political jobbers who were playing the script of their “defeated paymasters with their recent show of shame at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”
According to him, Kogi State indigenes will forever be grateful to former Governor Yahaya Bello for his transformational leadership.
He said it had come to the attention of the KOCIG that there had been a renewed onslaughts of some disgruntled political elements in Kogi to resurrect their agenda of blackmail via unproven corruption allegations against the immediate-past governor of the state.
Yusuf said KOCIG, which has over one million active members across the three senatorial districts and in all the 21 local governments, said its members believe in the unity and progress of the state and hold leaders accountable at all levels.
“We saw the ragtag crowd of hungry non-Kogites that were assembled to go to the national headquarters of the EFCC today to submit their baseless petition, alongside some rejected former office holders.
“We wish to make it abundantly clear that this is a politically motivated protest sponsored by political desperados and ethnic jingoists who see that they have been thoroughly thrashed at home and are seeking crooked means of staying relevant.
“That they are hellbent on blackmailing the former Governor who has done nothing but excellent jobs in Kogi State during his eight years as Governor is not news.
“What may be news is the fact that they are confronted with the reality that in Nigeria of today, under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is no longer easy to witch-hunt political opponents without regard for the rule of law.
“For one, as bona-fide citizens of Kogi State, we are aware of the clandestine conspiracy by some disgruntled local politicians who are still licking the wounds of their defeat in the last governorship election to blackmail Alhaji Yahaya Bello with baseless allegations of corruption and attempting to drag EFCC into their dirty political fights to nail a man who many attest to his achievements.
“This is where the EFCC leadership must be wary of becoming an accidental tool of vendetta in the hands of politicians who are so desperate to get their evil and dark objectives achieved at all costs.
“The EFCC must be above board and treat all petitions strictly on their merits and not pay attention to political miscreants who are playing to the gallery,” he said.
