Alleged N84 Billion Fraud: Allow EFCC’s prosecution of Bello, group tells Ododo

Kogi State Governor, Ododo Ahmed Usman, has been told to hands off his defence of the former governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, saying, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC should be allowed to do their work.

In a statement by the group operating under the aegis of Volunteer Media Advocacy For Accountable Leadership, which was made available to CAPITAL POST in Lokoja on Tuesday, described governor Ododo as a meddlesome interloper, whose defence of the embattled former governor amounts to selfishness at the expense of the State.

The media group, noted that Kogites are interested in the prosecution of the former governor and having been charged for criminal conspiracy under the Money Laundering Act, Bello, his nephew and other suspects should be allowed to face the full wrath of the law.

The group said, it sympathised with the situation Ododo found himself being a ‘lapdog’ of the former governor, but should be reminded that no individual was bigger than the law and having been co-charged, nobility demands that Yahaya Bello should come out of hiding to defend himself.

This is even as no government agency is witch hunting anyone other than that there are discharging their responsibilities. Bello’s name was mentioned during the re-arraignment of his nephew, Ali Bello, a co-defendant for money laundering at the Federal High Court in Abuja and the world is waiting for him to clear his name.

A press statement signed by the National Secretary of the group, Buba Bakori further advised the present government under Ahmed Ododo, his Commissioners and other government functionaries to, as a matter of urgency stop wasting state resources in defending what is known to be facts.

Bakori said it’s undemocratic and politically improper for the state government to speak on behalf of Bello, who is now an ordinary citizen, whose immunity has expired.

“It is only normal that the past governor give account of his stewardship during his stay in office because he was elected by the people of the state.

“It is a common fact that Nigerians are aware of Bello’s alleged excesses in government and that a day of reckoning would eventually come for him and we urge him, Ododo and his Commissioners to cease this campaign of calumny and blackmail against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“We have seen all the sponsored Television appearances defending the former governor who has refused to appear before the EFCC to defend the allegation charges against him. Who pays for the appearances? We have also seen state government taking a full page advertorial in some national newspapers among other print and electronic mediums.

“Kogi state as a matter of fact, needs divine intervention for it’s workforce and retired civil servants to get their wages as at when due, but the state government is busy spending state funds defending Yahaya Bello “.

“We see the efforts of Yahaya Bello, Ododo and his Commissioners, as desperation moves to divert attention from the alleged fraud charged against the former Kogi Governor.

“We are also witnesses to how over 14 properties and 400 million linked to Yahaya Bello were confiscated by the EFCC, Yahaya Bello is not above former Governors Fayose, Jolly Nyame, Dariye, Ramallan Yaro, and others who were investigated.”

The group urged Yahaya Bello, Ododo to halt their campaign of calumny and blackmail, and instead focus on clearing his name from the allegations of fraud.