Kogi/EFCC: Opponents jittery over Gov Bello’s Rising Profile

A political support group known as ‘Got Your Back Nigeria’ has lend its voice to condemn what it tagged as “recent attack on the person of Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State,” saying that it was a manifestation that his rising profile is a threat to political opponents.

In a press release titled, “Who is Afraid of Yahaya Bello” and signed by Chabor Musa Nyamgul Jnr, he said it observed with much dismay, the recent drama and altercations between Governor Bello of Kogi State and the anti-graft agency, EFCC, over the alleged diversion and secretly stashed N19.33 billion bailout funds for workers’ salaries.

Recall that the EFCC claimed the N19.33 billion was domiciled in a fixed deposit account with Sterling Bank PLC, bearing the imprimatur of “Kogi State Bailout Account.”

However, the Kogi State government has insisted that it has no such account domiciled with the Bank at the center of the controversy.

“The narrations make the saga more interesting. But it has placed a heavy burden of clearing the incidental conjectures generated by a tale crafted and circulated by the anti-graft agency.

“More intriguing, the EFCC suddenly made a detour by withdrawing the suit filed in court seeking to establish the source and ownership of the about N20 billion bailout funds domiciled in Sterling Bank PLC. I find it completely, incongruent, the EFCC’s multiple explanations of freezing, unfreezing, discontinuation with the case and the return of the said amount to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),” he said.

The group spokesperson noted that it was suspicious that the EFCC, through its spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, suddenly expressed the commission’s public disinterest in exposing the source and ownership of the fund, but felt accomplished that it blocked the potential stealing of the fund.

“Except the EFCC has invented new laws or operating now on the basis of personal discretion, why is it necessary to back out from such a sensitive investigation of a presumed “executive fraud” after the media blitzkrieg on the matter?

“Exposure of financial crimes and its sources assist in deterring others. But in this instance, the EFCC wittingly denied Nigeria this opportunity by arm-twisting itself and pleading that the controversies be laid to rest with the CBN’s custody of the money, persuading itself feebly that it ‘is expedient for the instant suit to be discontinued and the account unfrozen’,” he added.

The group said it suspected a grandeur hatchet job of some covert political antagonists at play against the governor otherwise known as GYB, to tarnish his public image.

“Precisely, GYB’s political outings are causing huge nightmares to many opponents including traditional politicians and perpetual powermongers in Nigeria. Could it be the reason for the recent attempt to demean his person and administration on the plank of the EFCC?,” he stated.