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LOKOJA – A former ambassador to Botwana and ex – Lawmaker, His excellency, Isaac Onuh has charged the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately halt the macabre dance being employed against the former Governor of kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the name of fighting corruption.
Amb. Onuh gave the charge while fielding questions from Journalists in Lokoja on Friday.
He warned the Anti-corruption agency to stop the unauthorised method it employed, with intent to harass and intimidate the former Governor, for having the courage to exercise his inalienable rights to contest the 2023 presidential election.
He expressed the belief that Bello’s presidential ambition might have caused his political enemies to resort to the use of the anti graft agency just to ridicule him and diminish his soaring image , which he has held sway as the Governor of Kogi state for two consecutive tenures.
According to him, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, deserves some elements of respect and decorum by government agencies including EFCC, having served the state diligently and meritoriously for good eight years.
The former lawmaker said that EFCC has shot itself on its feet with unsubstantiated, unconfirmed allegations of financial impropriety and for dubiously declaring him wanted.
He added that EFCC did not stop her naked dance in the market place against the former Governor whose tenure was adjudged by international monetary agencies as the most prudent and frugal in handling state funds, but, the EFCC continued to embarrass him through media trials which often bring to the fore the illegality of EFCC.
” Nigeria as a federation has guiding principles in relationship with the sub-nationals whose autonomy to certain aspects is guarranteed in the 1999 constitution as amended, and should be respected by all agencies of the federal government including the EFCC.
Kogi state as a political and legal entity is governed by laws made by the State House of Assembly, which established the State Anti corruption commission, who have consistently given clean slates to ex governor Bello and his 8th year administration.
Ambassador Onuh averred that , EFCC has lost touch with extant laws that established it , when it declared the ex Governor wanted when he did not decline the invitation and even when Governor Ododo and the former Governor Bello went to their Headquarters, the officials declined to receive them , but , rather staged commando operations at the kogi state liaison office Abuja, ultimately to embarrass and ridicule them.
He said: “No wonder, Chief Olisa Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),
wrote a letter to the Deputy Senate President, titled, “Urgent Legislative Attention on Constitutional Reforms Relating to Law Enforcement Agencies and Anti-Corruption Efforts”.
He said that the persecution of the former Governor had gone on for too long, which has gone to show that the EFCC was out to humiliate the former governor of the Kogi state for no just cause.
The former Ambassador to Botswana, said, “irked by the lawlessness of EFCC against one of their own, 19 state governors have approached the supreme court for constitutionality of the laws establishing Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)”
However, he said, despite this weighty issue of illegality hanging on the agency, it continued with reckless abandonment to harass and intimidate the state by subjecting some high ranking officials to needless invitations and detentions.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a democrat and a man passionate about rule of law to call to order the Chairman of EFCC , Ola Olukoyede before he makes Nigeria a caricature in the comity of nations.END
