By Opeyemi Gbemiro
A Group has questioned reason why former Governor Yahaya Bello’s corruption allegation case is handled differently from other past politicians alleged of corruption, calls on government’s intervention
Mr David Ehimoni, the Spokesperson for the Group, Amalgamated Unions of Concerned Kogi Citizens said this during a media conference on Mon. in Lokoja.
Ehimoni who also doubles as the State Chairman Nigeria’s Middle Belt Forum said the press briefing was aimed to address issues of National importance in Nigeria and the international community, bothering on Democracy, The Rule of Law and Human rights.
“We are gathered as a united people with a collective voice representing the various civil society organizations, associations, youth groups and amalgamated unions, as well as concerned citizens of Kogi State.
The group appeals that the EFCC should stop further persecution, harassment and intimidation of former governor Bello, CON and the good people of Kogi State.
“Bello’s boss and Governor, Wike was not declared wanted because he had immunity covering him. Today, Wike does not have immunity but EFCC has not invited him for questioning. Rather, he serves as a minister in the same Government under which EFCC operates.
“The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State was arraigned at a Kano State High Court along his wife and son on April 17, 2024, by the state anti-graft agency over alleged misappropriation of funds when he was Governor. Neither himself, wife nor son appeared before the court to defend the allegations, yet EFCC turned the other eye.
“With above case studies involving former Governors, we are convinced that some persons somewhere are desperate to destroy Yahaya Bello using the EFCC.
“In spite of these instances of selective justice, on Wednesday, Sept.18, 2024, Former Governor Yahaya Bello decided to honour the commission’s invitation and went to the EFCC headquarters voluntarily. Information at our disposal confirms that Bello spent over four hours at EFCC premises with pictures and video evidences to prove this.
“The man who was purportedly declared wanted went to EFCC office and he was not even granted audience let alone interrogated or taken into custody. In a shocking turn of events, EFCC mobilzed armed men and laid a siege on the Kogi Governor’s Lodge in a night raid.
“As widely reported last year, the Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede directed that sting operations at night time be stopped in all the Commands of the EFCC.
“He gave the directive in Abuja on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023 in reaction to the arrest of 69 suspected internet fraudsters by operatives of the Ibadan Zone of the Commission in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
“If EFCC had placed a ban on sting operations at night, last year, why the sudden U-turn to chase after Former Governor Yahaya Bello at night using the same sting operations?
“What happened last week confirmed our fears that the whole drama is more political than a fight against corruption.
“In several media reports, the EFCC allegedly claimed it could not interface with Bello because he was accompanied by the current Governor, who enjoys immunity.
“This claim is, however, very perplexing. When did it become an offense for a sitting Governor to accompany a former Governor? We recall instances where sitting governors have accompanied some persons to the EFCC without any issue.
“For instance, a former sitting Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesome Wike accompanied former Governor Ayo Fayose to the Commission’s office and it did not hinder the EFCC from interrogating the Former Governor.
“To further torchlight their hypocrisy, the Governor whom they claimed used his immunity cover to shield them from doing their jobs was at the premises of the Kogi Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro when armed operatives of the EFCC stormed and invaded the Kogi Government House in Abuja, shooting sporadically into the air like a gun duel in Sambisa Forest. We ask again, what were the gun shots for, to harm Bello?
“Why Treating Kogi People as Lesser Nigerians?
From all indications, the EFCC seems to have an axe to grind with former Governor, and by extension, the entire Kogi State. It is on record that the only former Governor openly handcuffed and paraded by the agency, till date, was a man who governed Kogi State with distinguished accomplishments, which was the Former Governor, Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to come to our aid. The same Former Governor Yahaya Bello made sacrifices and challenged vested interests by insisting on the APC Presidential primary election to elect APC candidate in 2023. Without this primary election, Mr President might not have been President today based on conspiracies against his candidature.
“The President should come to our aid in ensuring that professionalism is applied to the prosecution of Former Governor Yahaya Bello, instead of the ongoing persecution as we have noticed the hands of Jacob and Voice of Esau in the scheme of things.
“We are very much concerned about the persecution, intimidation and harassment of Yahaya Bello because as a Governor, he worked in collaboration with various security agencies, tackled insecurity frontally and made our dear state one of the most secure states in the country. We cannot turn our backs on such a leader who has left lasting legacies in the annals of our dear state.
“We are also calling on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to checkmate the shopping of judgements and granting of conflicting injunctions by some Judges handling corruption cases.
“If the harassment of our leaders go unabated, the People of Kogi state might be forced to make a statement. With our strategic and historical position in Nigeria, bounded by 9 states and the FCT, linking Southern Nigeria to Northern Nigeria, our statement will be very loud.
“We demand that our people be treated with dignity and honour deserving of human beings in the candor of other Nigerians. The group appealed
