Bello to EFCC: You’re Desperate to Execute Hatchet Job for Some Unknown Interests

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The embattled former governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of desperation to carry out a hatchet job for some vested interests.

Bello’s claim was in response to a recent statement by EFCC accusing the former governor of frustrating his arraignment before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to a statement by Bello’s media aide, Michael Ohiare, the EFCC statement is a self-embarrassment filled with vulgar invectives that clearly show malicious intentions rather than a genuine intent to fight corruption.

The statement said, “Ordinarily, we would not have responded to the clear absurdities in the press statement, signed by Mr. Dele Oyewale, but for the need to set the records straight.

“The EFCC has already shown to the world, with its operational blunder, last Wednesday, that there is another motive behind its fixation on Kogi State and the former governor other than the fight against corruption.

“The interesting thing is that the more the commission issues press statements under tension, the more glaring this assertion becomes.”

The statement expressed sadness that an agency as important as EFCC had now degenerated to the level of “crafting press statements in rogue styles to satisfy the hirers of the gun”.

It stated that even if the anti-graft agency was striving hard to satisfy some supposed benefactors, the EFCC chairman should be reminded that Nigeria is a member of the global village.

The statement added, “What the commission should be doing now is self-reappraisal with a view to repairing whatever is left of its battered image and not still dragging the name of our president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the mud with practices that are completely alien to the fight against corruption the world over.

“We want to reiterate that former Governor Yahaya Bello has acted like a democrat by subscribing to the rule of law and by approaching competent courts of jurisdiction to protect him. He is never afraid of facing justice, hence, his submission to the trials at various courts. The laws allow for representation and he has constantly been represented by his lawyers.

“As a Nigerian, he has the right to explore all avenues within the rule of law to protect his fundamental human rights. The EFCC cannot dictate to him, or anyone for that matter, how to go about this.

“Right now, it seems the only task before the EFCC is to execute a desperate hatchet job of destroying the former governor’s reputation and defaming him for no justifiable reason.

“But the EFCC must enlighten itself on the fact that former Governor Yahaya Bello remains innocent of the trumped up charges against him until proven guilty by a competent court of jurisdiction.”