September 24, (THEWILL) – A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Journalists Against Corruption (JAC), has advised the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to present himself in court on Wednesday, and address the allegation of N80.2bn fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, and signed by its Programme Director, Kehinde Osifisan, JAC said, “With the claims and counterclaims of the EFCC and Yahaya Bello Media Team over the widely reported visit of the former governor to the EFCC premises last week, the court case coming up on Wednesday, presents the clearest opportunity for the former Governor to appear in court physically and put the matter to rest once and for all.”
The group said that according to Bello’s media team, the former governor surrendered himself to the EFCC by visiting the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, but the EFCC refused to take him in.
The EFCC, in its account, claimed that Bello merely visited its premises in a way and manner that breached the organisation’s extant protocols as the former governor, who had been declared wanted by the law court with a warrant of arrest issued, arrived at the EFCC premises with the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo, and his full retinue of convoy and security details.
“While we have noticed with dismay and utter embarrassment since the hide-and-seek game of Yahaya Bello and the EFCC started, we are aware that Nigerians are tired of the ensuing melodrama that has indeed become an international embarrassment to the country and a dent on its image.
“We view the allegation of attempted assassination of Yahaya Bello levelled against the EFCC by the Kogi State House of Assembly as reckless, unfounded and unbecoming of a legislative arm of a State Government.
“We know who the dictator of the tunes to the assembly is, as the legislators gave themselves away by asking for the sack of the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, who has kept to his vow of not backing down until Yahaya Bello is made to face the laws of the land.
“Yahaya Bello has personally, through his lawyers and media team, continued to express his belief in the rule of law. Now is the time to walk the talk in this case. Let Yahaya Bello keep his date in the court tomorrow,” it added.
