A group under the the auspices of Congress of Ebira Youths for Justice and Fair Play has cautioned the Lawmaker representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Senator Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Federal Government to thread softly over the lingering debacle between former Governor Yahaya Bello and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC).
Addressing a press conference in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, the Convener of the group Comrade Kabiru Usman berated the alleged persecution of former Governor Bello by the anti-graft agency.
Usman, who noted that, the alleged political persecution of Ex-Governor Bello has a dire consequence for peace and togetherness of the State and Nigeria at large if not properly handle, accused Senator Uduagan of using her past political differences with the former governor to align with enemies of Ebiraland who are using EFCC as a canon folder to achieve their clandestine motives.
“It’s important for the Senator to choose her fight carefully no matter the energy at her disposal. We want to remind her of an Ebira adage which says that no one uses his/her oil to cook toad no matter the abundance of oil at her disposal.
“She should note that the political difference between her and FGYB is domestic and internal affairs of our Land. Natasha should know that no ethnic groups in Kogi can love her more than her own. Our senator needs to draw example from her governorship contest in 2019.
” Those who are urging her to keep attacking Yahaya Bello and by extension Ebira interest now went the directions of their own candidates and left her in the cold. Let her know therefore that her support for the traducers of Ebiraland in this Yahaya Bello’s persecution has dire political consequences for her now and in the future” he stated.
Usman also frowned at the allegations levelled against Alhaji Yahaya Bello that, he allegedly paid
$720,000 of Kogi money to upset his children’s school fees in advance at the American international School Abuja, stressing that, various legal authorities have suggested that the matter against the former Kogi State Governor is more of politics.
Explaining further, the Convener of the group said “No evidence of formal invitation extended to him by the commission rather the commission chairman told the world during his infamous press conference that he called the former governor and asked him to come to the headquarters of commission through the back door. And he expected Yahaya Bello to submit his neck to him just like that?
“EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede pulled the rug off the commission’s feet when he went further to allege that Yahaya Bello took $720,000 of Kogi money to pay his children’s school fees in advance at the American international School Abuja. Now, the questions to Mr EFCC chairman, is the former governor’s children not attending the school before he became governor?
“Was he in anyway indebted to the school on the account of school fees as private citizen? Did Yahaya enrol his children in that school in anticipation of him becoming governor? These and many more are the question begging for answers from the EFCC chairman. When you want to blackmail, do a smart one that will take time for people to uncover the truth.
“May be the EFCC chairman doesn’t know the incalculable damages his outburst has done to the psyche of the innocent children of Yahaya Bello whom he has dragged into his hatchet job. We want to therefore warn the EFCC and their sponsors that nothing must happen to Yahaya Bello’s children
“To, the federal government of Nigeria, it’s worrisome that all these could be happening to a citizen of Nigeria and a personality like Yahaya Bello and everyone within the corridor of power is keeping mum.
“I urged the cameramen here to beam their lenses on our faces. These are not regular faces you see on the political scenes of Ebiraland. We are neither APC, PDP or Labour Party members but Representatives of interest groups across Ebiraland.
” Our choice of these method of passing our grievance to those concerned to avoid the process being hijacked by already traumatized Nigerians who are waiting to vent their angers on the government for the hardship they are going”.
The group, however, vowed to hit the streets for protests, which according to them might be inevitable if the alleged harassment and political persecution continued unchecked by the EFCC.
His words “Nothing, I repeat that
nothing must happen to Yahaya Bello and his children in this ongoing harassment and persecution in the hands of EFCC.
“On the final note, the Youth of Ebiraland wants to remind our dear President and commander in chief of armed forces, President Ahmed Tinubu to know that there are times when silence is not golden.
“We urge him to immediately call the EFCC boss to order if the anti corruption fight is to be taken seriously under his watch. The president will also be doing the nation and his party, APC a lot of good if he looked inward and sanctioned any of his aides using the institutions of government to feather his or his political nest”.