The Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole has criticised Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State for his involvement in the ongoing saga between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello.
The EFCC is currently investigating Mr Bello of money laundering and corruption amounting to N80.2 billion.
The events unfolded on April 17 when EFCC operatives surrounded Bello’s residence in Abuja to effect an arrest. Governor Ododo reportedly appeared at the scene during the siege, and shortly after his departure, the EFCC operatives withdrew. There were speculations that Bello was discreetly removed from the premises in one of Ododo’s convoy vehicles.
Amidst the unfolding drama, the Kogi High Court issued a judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, restraining the EFCC from harassing or detaining the former governor. Simultaneously, the EFCC obtained a warrant for Bello’s arrest from a Federal High Court in Abuja, subsequently declaring him wanted and placing him on a watchlist by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Bello failed to appear in court on April 18, citing fears of arrest.
Senator Oshiomhole addressed the issue at the national integration conference themed ‘Revisiting the national question: Nigeria’s elusive search for national integration,’ organized by the Kukah Centre. He criticised Ododo’s intervention and Bello’s non-compliance with court orders, highlighting the need for citizens to speak up against such breaches of the law, regardless of the individuals involved.
Also, the former national chairman of APC recalled instances during his tenure as Edo Governor where children of the poor were denied access to education while some state governors argued against subsidizing education for underprivileged children. He referenced Bello’s alleged payment of $760,910 in advance fees to the American International School Abuja for his children from the Kogi state government’s coffers, underscoring the disparity in educational opportunities between the privileged and the less privileged.
