The Kogi State Government has sounded the alarm regarding what it perceives as a nefarious plot by individuals posing as politicians to smear the reputation of the former governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, the government expressed bewilderment at the EFCC’s amended charge, which accuses the former governor of misappropriating Kogi State government funds in September 2015, four months prior to assuming office as governor.
Fanwo criticized the EFCC’s actions as not only absurd but also indicative of a dissonance with President Buhari’s anti-corruption agenda. He highlighted that the inclusion of Yahaya Bello’s name as “at large” in the amended charge suggested an attempt to portray him as evading arrest, which he vehemently denied.
“The EFCC’s attempt to implicate Yahaya Bello is baseless and laughable,” Fanwo stated. “The alleged offense supposedly committed in September 2015 is ludicrous considering that Yahaya Bello was not even in office at that time. His election as Governor of Kogi State only took place in November 2015.”
The statement further clarified that the original charge was against Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman, with whom Bello is purportedly associated. It emphasized that the accusations against Bello were unfounded and aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
“The EFCC’s desperation to implicate Yahaya Bello is evident, but their tactics lack credibility,” Fanwo asserted. “We urge the EFCC to desist from such baseless allegations and focus on legitimate cases of corruption.”
