APC Chieftains Protest ‘Coordinated Witch-hunt” of ex-Gov Bello

*Say EFCC can’t be above the law

Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress have called on all sitting governors, former governors and politically exposed persons to stand against the “unjust persecution of former Governor of Kogi State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”

The Chairman, Tinubu Media Support Group, TMSG, Barrister Jesutega Onokpasa, who briefed the press on behalf of others, described as utter travesty the former governor’s unjust prosecution in the court of public opinion as against the court of law, saying it was a coordinated witch-hunt “against a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a former Governor of one of the states of this country.”

Flanked by Honourable Abubarkar Iliyasu and Comrade Felix Etedjere, he spoke in Abuja on Sunday, saying: “Today it is Yahaya Bello’s turn, tomorrow, it might be yours”. 

Onokpasa said categorically that the mischievous narrative of the former Governor evading arrest was reckless.

“As far as we are aware, former Governor Bello had obtained a court order retraining the EFCC from arresting, arraigning or prosecuting him and we state categorically that he was perfectly entitled in law to place reliance on the protection of the law, indeed the same law, which binds all of us in a civilized society,” the APC chieftains said.

According to them, the motto of the EFCC is that no one is above the law and that starts with the EFCC, itself, which is certainly not and cannot possibly be above the law.

Onokpasa queried why the counsel to former Governor Bello’s political adversaries was at the same time persecuting him on behalf of the EFCC “apart from one of them most irresponsibly threatening to send the armed forces against him.”

He stated,  “The remedy against an order of court is to vacate the order or to appeal the same and most certainly not for law enforcement to thump its nose against the court and decompose into lawlessness and brigandage.

“As usual, the EFCC has descended into grotesque unprofessionalism and playing to the gallery by taking what is beginning to appear as a persecution rather than a prosecution to the court of public opinion instead of lawfully canvassing it before the court of law.

“In the process, even the security details of former Governor Bello have been most rascally and illegally withdrawn thus exposing him to grave danger.”

He added, “We unequivocally condemn this witch-hunt against a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a former Governor of one of the states of this country.

“We enjoin all well-meaning citizens of our great nation to repudiate these excesses even as we call on all sitting Governors, former Governors and all politically exposed persons to stand against this utter travesty.

“Today, it may be Yahaya Bello’s turn but tomorrow it might be yours”, he stressed.

Honourable Abubarkar Iliyasu and Comrade Felix Etedjere were present at the briefing.